New Delhi: The Government will call a meeting
of Muslim MPs soon to decide on reforms in arrangements for
Haj pilgrimage, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna informed
the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
"I plan to convene a meeting of Muslim members of
Parliament from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha so that we can
hear from them suggestion which we can incorporate in
preparing for Haj (pilgrimage this year)," he said during
Question Hour.
He said the government gave a Haj subsidy of Rs 367 crore
in 2006-07 which rose to Rs 390 crore in 2007-08 and to Rs 867
crore in 2008-09. As per provisional figures, Haj subsidy in
2009-10 amounted to Rs 611 crore.
"It is the constant endeavour of the Government to improve
and reform the management of the arrangements for Haj
pilgrimage in consultation with all concerned," he said.
Asked about increasing quota of people going for Haj, he
said the government has to operate within a quota fixed by the
Saudi Arabia. "It is not that the Government of India is free
to decide."
PTI
