Financial aid for pilgrimage to Jerusalem enhanced

The Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday enhanced the financial assistance to Christians for undertaking pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other Biblical places. A government order issued in this regard said pilgrims with an annual income of upto Rs 3 lakh would be given Rs 60,000 for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jordan River, Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee.

The assistance was last enhanced to Rs 40,000 which was fixed by the then Chandrababu Naidu government in 2016. Further, those with an income of over Rs 3 lakh would get Rs 30,000, up from Rs 20,000 as per the order issued by Minorities Welfare Department Principal Secretary Mohd. Ilyas Rizvi.

The scheme was introduced in 2013, in the then united Andhra Pradesh, with an assistance of Rs 20,000 for pilgrimage to Jerusalem..