AMN / NEW DELHI
The Centre has abolished Haj subsidy from this year. Talking to media persons here Tyesday, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi informed that a record number of one lakh 75 thousand Muslims will undertake the Haj pilgrimage from India without any subsidy this year. He said the subsidy will now be utilized for educational empowerment of girls and women from the minority community. He said, this is part of the government policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement.
जो हज subsidy थी उस हज subsidy का समाज के शैक्षणिक सशक्तिकरण में इस्तमाल होगा, खास तौर से लड़कियों, बच्चियों, महिलाओं के educational empowerment के लिये उसका इस्तेमाल किया जायेगा। ताकि शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में एक पिछड़ा हुआ है समाज उस क्षेत्र में उसको बराबरी का एहसास कराया जा सके, उसका सशक्तिकरण कराया जा सके। said Naqvi
Mr Naqvi said, the government will start Haj pilgrimage through ships in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Congress said it has no issue with the government’s decision to abolish the subsidy. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said government has withdrawn it four years before the date prescribed by the Supreme Court. He expressed hope that government will implement the second part of the apex court’s Judgment.
In 2012, the Supreme Court had ordered the government to do away with the subsidy in a phased manner in ten years. The Court had also asked the government to see that the money is used for the upliftment of the community in education and other indices of social development.