JOIN USChief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday said the State government will mount pressure on the Centre to increase the State’s quota for Haj pilgrimage from the next year.
Gowda’s statement has come a day after the Supreme Court directed the Centre to phase out subsidy for Haj pilgrims in the next 10 years.
The court has said that the money should be utilised for providing education to minorities instead of spending it on Haj subsidy.
Speaking to reporters after launching the computerised selection of Haj pilgrims by the State Haj Committee, Gowda said the Haj Committee had received 15,476 applications against the allocated quota of 5,332 to the State.
Hence, the Centre will be requested to increase the quota.
State Haj Committee Chairperson Mohammad Ghouse Basha said Haj - 2012 has been scheduled for the last week of October at Mecca in Saudi Arabia. As many as 4,141 beneficiaries from the State have been selected through a draw of lots.
Haj Bhavan
Work on the construction of Haj Bhavan on the outskirts of Bangalore is underway and is likely to be completed in a year’s time.
The State government has earmarked Rs 406 crore for the welfare of minority communities this year.