news details |
|
|
| 10,000 more pilgrims for this year's Haj under subsidy scheme | | |
NEW DELHI, NOV 16
The Centre today approved the travel of an additional 10,000 piligrims for this year's Haj under a subsidy scheme, taking the total number people who can avail the facility to 110,000.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters here.
The government also decided to retain the fare of Rs 12,000 to be paid by each pilgrim for the round trip to Jeddah/Medina and the remaining cost to be paid by the government as subsidy to the airlines transporting the pilgrims.
No fresh embarkation points have been added to the existing 15 points in India from where pilgrims are taken to Jeddah and brought back. The Haj 2006 is due to commence towards end of this month.
Upto 60,000 pilgrims would be transported by Saudi Arabian Airways from Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad and the rest by Air India/Indian Airlines from Kolkata, Calicut, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Patna, Guwahati, Jaipur and Srinagar.
There has been a steady increase in the number of Haj pilgrims from India-- from 71,924 in 2000 to 99,926 in 2006.
The fare paid by each pilgrim has remained Rs 12,000 since 1994. While the subsidy per passenger in 1994 was Rs 5,000, it went up to nearly Rs 28,000 in 2006, an official release said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
