Bhubaneswar, Jan 30: The Odisha Government has asked all district collectors to personally intervene and speed up the collection of consent forms from beneficiaries under the Shri Jagannath Darshan Yojana (SJDY), as the state gears up for the formal launch of the scheme.

In a letter issued on January 27, 2026, Tourism Director Deepankar Mohapatra expressed concern over the slow progress in collecting mandatory consent forms in most districts, despite repeated instructions and coordination with local authorities. He noted that delays could impact the timely rollout of the ambitious pilgrimage initiative.

The Tourism Department has already issued revised operational guidelines for SJDY. Under the scheme, senior citizens aged between 60 and 75 years who receive old-age pensions, as well as widows up to 75 years covered under central and state widow pension schemes, are automatic beneficiaries. However, participation is strictly subject to individual consent.

Earlier, on January 13, 2026, the department held a meeting with District Social Security Officers (DSSOs), directing them to collect consent forms on pension distribution day, January 15, at the Gram Panchayat level. Despite this, the response has remained unsatisfactory in a majority of districts.

A district-wise status report annexed to the letter, reflecting data up to January 22, revealed significant gaps in implementation. Stressing urgency, the Tourism Director urged collectors to take personal interest in expediting the process, as the state targets 5,000 beneficiaries in FY 2025–26 and 30,000 in FY 2026–27 under the scheme.

Powered by Froala Editor