Centre waives Hajj subsidy; vows to utilize fund for education of minorities

New Delhi, January 16: The central government on Tuesday taking a step forward has decided to withdraw subsidy given to Hajj pilgrims and vowed to enroll the same amount in the education of minorities in a bid to empower them. 

Notably, while talking to media Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the government has decided to withdraw subsidy given to Hajj pilgrims in accordance with a Supreme Court order. He said, "This is part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement."

Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also said, "A constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had, during the Congress regime in 2012, directed that the Hajj subsidy be done away with. Hence, in the new policy, as per the recommendations of a committee, we have decided to do away with the Hajj subsidy gradually."

The Minority Affairs Minister also added that despite the subsidy withdrawal, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the pilgrimage this year from India. He also informed that the Saudi Arabian government has in principle agreed to allow Hajj journey from India by ships and officials of the two countries will sit together to finalize the modalities.

Earlier this year, Minister Naqvi had said that the Centre would abolish the subsidy for Hajj pilgrims in accordance with a Supreme Court order. In 2012, the Supreme Court directed the Union government to gradually reduce and abolish Hajj subsidy by 2022. The apex court also asked the government to invest the subsidy amount of approximately Rs 650 crore a year then on the educational and social development of the community.

Saudi Arabia has increased India's Hajj quota by 5,000 taking the number of pilgrims who can perform Hajj from the country to 1,75,025. Earlier, on January 8 of this year, Saudi Arabia gave its nod to India's plan to revive the option of ferrying Hajj pilgrims via sea route to Jeddah. Last year, Saudi Arabia increased India's Hajj quota by 34,500 which was the biggest hike in nearly three decades.