Panaji, Aug 1 (PTI) The Goa government will come up with a scheme to provide financial assistance to devotees undertaking walking pilgrimage, also called 'wari', to Pandharpur in neighbouring Maharashtra, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.
Sawant also said he had spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting him to allot land at Pandharpur for a shelter home for 'warkaris' (those who undertake this pilgrimage) from Goa.
BJP MLA Premendra Shet had moved a private member's resolution urging the state government to frame necessary policies to finance the Pandharpur Yatra, which is taken out by different groups across the state on Ashadi Kartiki Ekadashi.
"Finance would be provided to the groups before they start the pilgrimage. There are at least 5,000 pilgrims (warkaris) who travel 370 kilometres from Goa to Pandharpur over a period of 14 to 15 days," Sawant said.
"The Goa government will design a scheme providing financial assistance to warkaris. Either the Art and Culture Department or Social Welfare department will be made a nodal agency to implement this scheme," he said in the assembly.