by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Mumbai : Despite the removal of the Haj subsidy from the 2018 pilgrimage season, there was no financial burden on the pilgrims as middlemen were eliminated and a transparent, fully online system was put in place, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on Wednesday.
Terming the Haj-2018 as a ‘pro-pilgrim’ initiative, he said that in 2017, Rs 1,030 crore was paid to airlines for the airfares for 1,24,852 pilgrims, but in 2018, it came down to Rs 973 crore for 1,28,702 pilgrims who went for the pilgrimage through the Haj Committee of India.
This means Rs 57 crore less was paid to airlines this year though 3,850 more pilgrims travelled after ending the Haj subsidy, Naqvi pointed out.
Terming the Haj-2018 as “successful”, Naqvi said that for the first time since Independence, a record 1,75,025 Muslims from India performed the pilgrimage without availing any subsidy and expected the number to go up further in 2019.
Safety and better facilities and medical amenities for the pilgrims are the priority of the government. There will be no lackadaisical approach on this, he said while announcing the Haj-2019 season at the Haj House in Mumbai.
He said that the online application process will start on October 18, while the offline process will be taken up on October 22, making it the first time that the next year’s (2019) Haj preparations have been initiated immediately after completion of the current season (2018).
In 2018, a total of 3,55,604 applications were received, of which 1,66,387 were from women.
According to Naqvi, the early start of the Haj process will ensure availability of better facilities and smooth functioning as all the concerned agencies, both in India and Saudi Arabia, would get sufficient time to make arrangements.
“The process of airlines tender will be completed by November 2018 and accommodation process in Mecca and Medina by December 2018-January 2019,” Naqvi said.
All the 20 embarkation points will be functional like 2018 and Haj pilgrims can also go via Calicut Airport and the accommodation rates in Saudi Arabia shall remain unchanged for 2019.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
New Delhi : The foundation for the first of the five proposed “world class” educational institutes for minorities is set to be laid early next month, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday.
Naqvi said that 16-acres land has been acquired in the Mewat district of Haryana at a “scenic locale” and its foundation would be laid in the first week of September.
“Mewat, being the most backward district, needs such an institute more than any other place in the country. We hope the institute would be ready and running by 2021,” Naqvi said.
He said the institute would have a provision of education from primary up to the diploma and degree levels besides centres for skill development.
It will also have a coaching centre for competitive exams besides hostels with modern facilities, he added.
“It will be an education, skill and a knowledge hub,” he said.
The Minister clarified that the institute would be open for all communities.
The Maulana Azad Education Foundation would be the governing body of the institute but it would be run by “reputed private and government organisations”.
“We are in talks with a few Indian and foreign organistations which have shown interest in running this institute on the PPP (public-private-partnership) mode,” Naqvi said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : The year 2018 that began with the end of Haj subsidy has been marked by a record 175,025 Indians heading for Saudi Arabia and is also distinct for a record 47 per cent women among the pilgrims including 1,308 without their ‘mehram’ (male companion).
“For the first time after the Independence, record 1,75,025 Muslims from India are going to Haj this year. These include record more than 47 per cent female pilgrims,” Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said addressing an orientation cum training camp here.
Despite removal of Haj subsidy and various new taxes imposed in Saudi Arabia, a lot of Muslims from India are going to Haj this year that too without any additional financial burden, he said. In fact, the airlines will be getting Rs 57 crore less this year from the passengers.
“Even after ending the Haj subsidy, airlines will be paid Rs 57 crore less … Last year Rs 1,030 crore was paid to airlines as air fare for 1,24,852 Haj pilgrims and this year Rs 973 crore will be paid for 1,28,702 Haj pilgrims going through Haj Committee of India,” Naqvi said.
For the first time, choice of embarkation points has been given to Haj pilgrims which has received overwhelming response. The minister said a total of 3,55,604 applications was received for Haj 2018 which included 1,89,217 male and 1,66,387 female applicants.
“For the first time a total of 1,308 women Muslim women from India are going to Haj without ‘mehram’,” he told the Haj Coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants and medical personnel including 98 women staff who are deployed to assist the pilgrims.
Representatives from Minority Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry and Urban Development Ministry informed in detail, various issues concerned to Haj, pilgrims, their health, safety and accommodation during the camp, the ministry said in a statement.
Flights for Haj will start from July 14, when pilgrims from Delhi, Gaya, Guwahati, Lucknow and Srinagar will embark on pilgrimage. On July 17 pilgrims from Kolkata, July 20 from Varanasi, July 21 from Mangalore, July 26 from Goa and on July 29 pilgrims from Aurangabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Nagpur will embark on Haj, he added.
Pilgrims from Ranchi will leave for Haj on July 30, from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad and Jaipur on August 1, and from Bhopal on August 3.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Economy, News, Politics
Panaji : The government is worried about the rising fuel prices, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on Sunday.
“Along with the people, even we are worried when the price of petrol, diesel, LPG, increases. When our party was in the opposition, we had opposed any hike in petroleum because the price of the crude oil was very low in the world market.
“As far as the current hike is concerned, the Petroleum Minister has clearly said we are working in that direction (to ease it) and that it is a worry,” he said in response to a question from the media here.
Naqvi was in Goa as part of the ruling BJP’s ‘Transforming India’ campaign under which senior leaders have fanned out across India to amplify the achievements of four years of the Modi government.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Panaji : Minorities are safer in India than in any other democratic country, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday, accusing “some political forces” of trying to use isolated incidents to disturb India’s social fabric.
“Minorities and their socio-economic, educational and religious rights are safer in India than any other democratic country. Therefore, if some people are trying to create an atmosphere (of fear), I do not think they will succeed,” he told the media here.
Naqvi, who is in Goa as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Transforming India’ campaign, said no major communal riot happened under the National Democratic Alliance rule.
“Unfortunately some forces, especially political, are trying to create an atmosphere of fear to disturb the development, peace and prosperity. Some isolated criminal incidents have definitely happened and they have been timely acted against. Those who were responsible have been imprisoned,” Naqvi said.
In response to a question as to whether communally sensitive issues like Hindutva and construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya would be part of the BJP’s 2019 poll campaign, Naqvi replied in the negative.
Naqvi also blamed the Congress for stalling the passage of the law banning triple talaq among Muslims.
“Triple talaq has nothing to do with religion. It is an ill-practice and should be banned and, therefore, the bill was passed in Lok Sabha. Unfortunately, the Congress and their allies are stalling it in the Rajya Sabha. Our attempt will be to pass it in the Rajya Sabha in the coming session,” Naqvi said.
—IANS
