The launch of Pravasi Bharatiya Express commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on January 9 in 1915.The train has been introduced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).The train will cover multiple destinations of touristic and religious significance, including Ayodhya, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kochi, Goa, Ekta Nagar (Kevadia), Ajmer, Pushkar and Agra.Carrying around 156 travellers, the train will complete the journey in three weeks.Under the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY) scheme, the Centre will bear all expenses related to the conducted train tour.Additionally, the government will cover 90 per cent of the airfare from the participants’ country of origin to India. Participants will have to bear only 10 per cent of their return airfare.Sources said, PIOs aged between 45 and 65 years, preferably from low-income categories, are eligible to travel in the train.The NRI travellers were selected through an application process by their respective Indian embassies or consulates for the inaugural journey.Selected travellers were also informed about the payment procedure for the 10 per cent share of their return airfare.Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present among others.
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