<p>Hubballi: Over the last three years, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/karnataka">Karnataka</a> government has spent nearly Rs 74 crore to help 53,253 Hindu devotees go on a pilgrimage to seven destinations in India.</p><p>The Hindu religious and charitable endowments department has been offering subsidy to eligible devotees to visit Kailash Mansarovar, Chardham, Kashi, Puri, Dwarka and for Bharat Yatra and Dakshin Yatra. The department pays between Rs 5,000 and Rs 30,000 for the pilgrimages.</p><p>Kashi yatra and Chardham (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath) are the most sought after pilgrimages from Karnataka.</p>.Top 11 temples in Karnataka earn Rs 602 cr in 2025-26, up Rs 45 cr year after year.<p>On average, the department receives 4,000 to 10,000 applications annually, out of which 1,500 to 6,800 eligible devotees complete the trip. As many as 19,085 devotees completed the Kashi-Gaya tour and received a subsidy of Rs 33.38 crore.</p><p>The department pays highest subsidy of Rs 30,000 for the Kailash Mansarovar yatra. The scheme started in 2006-07. </p><p>No beneficiary availed the subsidy in 2023-24 and 2024-25. This year, the government has sponsored 555 devotees for Kailash Mansarovar yatra (one of the most difficult pilgrimages across the border).</p><p>Chardham yatra receives the second highest subsidy of Rs 20,000 per devotee. In the last three years, 9,221 devotees benefited from the scheme and the department paid a subsidy of Rs 18.43 crore for it.</p>.Rs 42.95 crore spent on Mysuru Dasara 2025.<p>In the last three years, the government also launched Karnataka-Bharath Gaurav Darshan and Dakshin Yatra, under which devotees travel through the package organized by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation). The department pays 50 per cent of the cost on these four packages.</p><p>Department sources told <em>DH</em> that more number of applications get rejected than approved.</p><p>“Poor documentation and inadequate submission of receipts result in rejection of applications,” said Sharat B, endowment department commissioner.</p><p>He says these schemes are post-payment subsidies and many of the devotees fail to provide details in request way, resulting in applications being rejected.</p><p>Sharat said there were no restrictions on who could avail subsidy for the schemes.</p>
<p>Hubballi: Over the last three years, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/karnataka">Karnataka</a> government has spent nearly Rs 74 crore to help 53,253 Hindu devotees go on a pilgrimage to seven destinations in India.</p><p>The Hindu religious and charitable endowments department has been offering subsidy to eligible devotees to visit Kailash Mansarovar, Chardham, Kashi, Puri, Dwarka and for Bharat Yatra and Dakshin Yatra. The department pays between Rs 5,000 and Rs 30,000 for the pilgrimages.</p><p>Kashi yatra and Chardham (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath) are the most sought after pilgrimages from Karnataka.</p>.Top 11 temples in Karnataka earn Rs 602 cr in 2025-26, up Rs 45 cr year after year.<p>On average, the department receives 4,000 to 10,000 applications annually, out of which 1,500 to 6,800 eligible devotees complete the trip. As many as 19,085 devotees completed the Kashi-Gaya tour and received a subsidy of Rs 33.38 crore.</p><p>The department pays highest subsidy of Rs 30,000 for the Kailash Mansarovar yatra. The scheme started in 2006-07. </p><p>No beneficiary availed the subsidy in 2023-24 and 2024-25. This year, the government has sponsored 555 devotees for Kailash Mansarovar yatra (one of the most difficult pilgrimages across the border).</p><p>Chardham yatra receives the second highest subsidy of Rs 20,000 per devotee. In the last three years, 9,221 devotees benefited from the scheme and the department paid a subsidy of Rs 18.43 crore for it.</p>.Rs 42.95 crore spent on Mysuru Dasara 2025.<p>In the last three years, the government also launched Karnataka-Bharath Gaurav Darshan and Dakshin Yatra, under which devotees travel through the package organized by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation). The department pays 50 per cent of the cost on these four packages.</p><p>Department sources told <em>DH</em> that more number of applications get rejected than approved.</p><p>“Poor documentation and inadequate submission of receipts result in rejection of applications,” said Sharat B, endowment department commissioner.</p><p>He says these schemes are post-payment subsidies and many of the devotees fail to provide details in request way, resulting in applications being rejected.</p><p>Sharat said there were no restrictions on who could avail subsidy for the schemes.</p>