Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde government announces pension for Warkaris in poll year

The Maharashtra government has announced that it will give pensions to Warkarirs – the community of senior citizens who walk in waris in annual age-old pilgrimage dedicated to Lord Vithal to Pandharpur. 

The decision announced in the state's budget is being seen aimed at wooing the Warkaris ahead of assembly elections scheduled later this year. The government announced the establishment of Mukhya Mantri Varkari Sampradaya Mahamandal which in the Social Justice Department to provide facilities to Kirtankars, Warkaris, Bhajani Mandals besides managing the Palkhi routes. The corporation, headquartered in Pandharpur has been backed by an initial allocation of ₹50 crore.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced the pension move after as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) attempts to woo the Warkaris with NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi likely to participate in the wari.

The government has decided to provide a fund of ₹20,000 rupees per Dindi (group of devotees) from this year. ₹36.71 crores has been made available for Nirmal Vari, a drive for providing portable toilets on the pilgrimage routes, according to a report in Times of India.

The Warkari movement has its roots in the Bhakti tradition. It can be traced back to the 17th century saint Sant Tukaram Maharaj from Dehu. Every year lakhs of Warkaris walk in a 21-day journey to the Vithoba temple in Pandharpur from Alandi and Dehu culminating on Ashadi Ekadashi.

Maharashtra is going to polls in October-November. Last week, NCP chief Sharad Pawar sounded a poll bugle and said that the opposition MVA will comfortably win the election to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.

Pawar said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which comprises of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) could win 225 seats. Pawar made the remarks while the former MLA Sudhakarrao Bhalerao of Udgir and many colleagues joined the party in presence of him, NCP leaders Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil at Yashwantrao Centre in Mumbai.