Centre ends ‘Haj Subsidy’ in India

ONI Bureau: The Narendra Modi led Union Government has finally ended the ‘Haj Subsidy’ that was being given to Muslim pilgrims since the British colonial era. It can be recalled that the Supreme Court had in 2012 directed that subsidy on air travel should be phased out in 10 years.

The Supreme Court had cited ‘increase both in number of pilgrims and the travel cost/air fare’ in its 2012 order while noting that total Haj subsidy that was Rs 10.51 crore in the year 1994 swelled up to Rs 685 crore in 2011.

The Government will now save over Rs 700 crore in a year, which would be spent on the education of Muslim girl children. Around 175,000 people were supposed to undertake Haj pilgrimage from India this year.

The decision to withdraw Haj Subsidy came a day after the Govt allowed Muslim women above the age of 45 to go on the pilgrimage without a male guardian, in at least a four-member group. Saudi Arabia has already given a green signal to India’s decision to revive the option of Haj pilgrimage through sea route.