Sabarimala: Ahead of the Sabarimala season beginning on November 17, the TDB on Friday introduced a life insurance scheme for pilgrims, extending a Rs 2 lakh cover to the families of devotees who die during the visit.
Announcing the scheme after a board meeting here, Travancore Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar said it had been introduced in association with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
"It is for the first time that life insurance coverage is being introduced for Sabarimala pilgrims. Accident insurance coverage was provided to pilgrims earlier. It is a landmark decision, and I consider it an achievement of our board," he said.
The entire premium would be borne by the TDB and paid from its Welfare Fund. The board was expected to spend around Rs 1 crore on the premium during the pilgrimage season, he said.
The name of the nominee and their relationship with the pilgrim would be collected at the time of virtual queue booking, Jayakumar added.
The TDB president assured pilgrims that there would be no shortage of Aravana prasadam, saying two lakh tins were currently being produced daily.
A newly constructed production unit would become operational on November 3 or 4, further boosting capacity, he said.
The board aimed to maintain a buffer stock of 50-60 lakh tins of Aravana, a sweet offering made primarily from rice and jaggery, ahead of the 41-day Mandala season. Production was currently under way round the clock, he added.
Reception desks would be set up at Nilakkal and Pampa to assist pilgrims, Jayakumar said.
Infrastructure works and arrangements for the pilgrimage were progressing, with maintenance and repair work at Sabarimala expected to be completed before November 10, he said.
On the proposed digitisation project at Sabarimala, Jayakumar said the board was implementing the programme directly and that the role of the state-run Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) in it would be examined.
"We are taking precautions to ensure that the project does not go off track," he said.
