The Hindu : Karnataka News : Haj committee awaiting applications, says Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Haj committee awaiting applications, says Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, SEPT. 21. The Central Haj Committee of the State, which has announced a higher quota for pilgrims from the State, is awaiting applications from those wanting to make the pilgrimage.

The Minister of State for Labour and Wakf, Tanvir Sait, told presspersons here today that last year 3,261 pilgrims had visited Mecca and Medina. The number of pilgrims had dwindled on account of the successive droughts in the State. For next year, the Central Haj Committee had fixed a quota of 4,500 pilgrims, but the required number of applications had not come in yet.

The Minister said those who had registered their names so far included 27 children below the age of 12 and 148 new applicants. The pilgrimage would start on December 21 and the last batch would depart on December 28. During that period, except for two flights on two days, there would be one daily flight to Jeddah. There would be one volunteer for every 420 pilgrims.

Denying the charge by some political parties that Muslims were being given subsidy by the Union Government for the Haj pilgrimage, Mr. Sait said that neither the Centre nor the State Government was giving any monetary support. Each pilgrim had to spend Rs. 80,000 for travel and accommodation.

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