Regretting that many poor Muslims were deprived of affordable Haj pilgrimage owing to a strong lobby of private agencies, Minister for Haj, Infrastructure and Information R. Roshan Baig said he has urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to reduce the private quota and increase government quota for Haj pilgrims.
Addressing presspersons after laying the foundation stone for the Post Matriculation Hostel for Boys of Minorities at Indi town on Monday, he said private agents used their influence to keep a major chunk of the Haj quota.
“These private agents charge exorbitant fee which only rich people can afford. The government should reduce the private quota to a minimum and add that to government quota, which would enable more poor and middle class people to visit the holy place,” he said.
Mr. Baig said he has urged Home Minister and directed the top police officials to register cases of cheating against any private agency found to be cheating innocent pilgrims.
Airport projects
The Minister said the State government was ready to share Rs. 50 crore as land-levelling charge for the long-pending development of airport at Vijayapura city if the Airport Authority of India (AAI) started working on the project.
He said that during the recent meeting convened by Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in New Delhi, the State government urged the Union government to expedite all airport projects in the State.
