Madhya Pradesh becomes first State to provide Air Travel for Pilgrims

Current Context: Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to provide the facility of free air travel to the elderly for pilgrimage to holy places under the Mukhyamantri Teerthdarshan Yojana.

• The scheme was launched by the BJP government in 2012 and so far, 7.82 lakh senior citizens have availed the benefit of the pilgrimage scheme.
• The first batch of 32 pilgrims left for Prayagraj from Bhopal on Sunday, May 21, 2023. The Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan flagged off the service and said that it was a dream come true for him and the elders.
• He also said that the air travel facility will continue along with railway journeys for pilgrimage and will cover other destinations like Shirdi, Mathura-Vrindavan, Gangasagar.

Question:

Q.1 Which state in India has become the first to provide free air travel to the elderly for pilgrimage under the Mukhyamantri Teerthdarshan Yojana?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Madhya Pradesh
c. Gujarat
d. Rajasthan