Centre government removes subsidy for Haj pilgrimage; saved money for Muslim girl education

NEW DELHI: Muslim pilgrims will not be given subsidy for Hajj from this year onwards because the centre government has removed the Haj subsidiary. The decision has been taken with the purpose to develop young generation without appeasement which was confirmed by Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday. Particularly, the saved money will be used on the Muslim girl education which will be saved on account of subsidy for Haj pilgrimage. "Subsidy on Haj is over from this year. The money saved will be used for the education of the community,” Minority Affairs Minister said. “At least 1.75 lakh Muslims pilgrims will go for Haj this year which will be the highest number than ever number,” said the minority affairs minister. The policy to withdraw the Haj subsidy had been prepared in light of Supreme Court order in 2012. The court had asked the centre to deviate the subsidy step by step till 2022. The number of pilgrims is likely to go high for Haj pilgrimage in 2018 after Saudi Arabia hiked India ' s pilgrim quota by 5,000 earlier this year. According to government data, more than 1,300 women will make the annual pilgrimage without a ‘Male guardian’ after Riyadh allowed a group of at least four women over the age of 45 to go on Haj without a male companion.