Habisyali scheme to continue, arpan rice to be auctioned

PURI: Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain on Monday cleared the air over Habisyali Brata Yojana started by the previous government for the benefit of elderly women devotees.

Amid apprehensions of scrapping of the scheme by the BJP government, Swain said it will continue as usual this year. He said the district administration will host 2,500 habisyalis who will observe the month-long Kartika brata in Puri this year. The brata is slated to begin from October 18. Online applications from devotees shall be received from the first week of October.

The administration will take care of the devotees’ boarding and food (mahaprasad). This apart, the devotees will be facilitated for observance of rituals, bathing and darshan of the Trinity at Shree Jagannath Temple. Doctors will be posted in the town to take care of the health of the elderly women.