All Amarnath Yatra pilgrims will have an insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh free of cost.

Jammu & Kashmir Governor N. N. Vohra on Tuesday received a policy extending the insurance cover to all the registered yatris, labourers and pony-owners during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra from the New India Assurance Company CMD M. Ramadoss who called on him at Raj Bhavan here.

The insurance policy has the provision of a free accident insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh for every pilgrim who possesses a yatra permit. The entire expenditure for drawing this insurance cover is being borne by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board which manages the annual yatra. For the 2009 yatra, any pilgrim seeking an accident insurance cover was required to pay Rs. 24 at the time of registration for the yatra.

The pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir Himalayas begins on July 1 and attracts lakhs of devotees every year.