Minister to seek Rs 30 cr for Haj Ghar

Minister for Agriculture Marketing, Haj and Wakfs, S K Bellubbi on Wednesday said he would request Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to allocate an additional Rs 30 crore in the 2013-14 budget for completing the Haj Ghar or Haj Bhavan at Hegdenagar in the City.

Speaking at a conference organised by the Karnataka State Haj Committee, the minister said: “The amount of Rs 40 crore allotted by the government will be not be sufficient for the purpose. Therefore, I will request for an additional Rs 30 crore. Already Rs 10 crore of the sanctioned amount is being utilised.”

The Haj Ghar is presently being constructed on two-and-a-half acres and it is the first of its kind in Karnataka. Around 38 per cent of the work has already been finished and, with the government’s support the work will be completed soon, said Chairperson, Karnataka State Haj Committee, M M Ahmed.  Plans are on construct a Haj Ghar in Mangalore.

The Haj Ghar at Bangalore will provide accommodation and other amenities to Haj pilgrims from across Karnataka.