Narnendra Modi led government has taken decision related to Haj subsidy in India. The government has cancelled Haj Subsidy which was provided for Muslims to visit their pilgrimage.
As per haj subsidy news, every year government was providing subsidy of amount around 700 crores to Muslims of India who was visiting Haj in Mecca. As per the government the subsidy withdrawal will not affect the cost of travel to the pilgrimage. The withdrawn subsidy will be used to provide education to girl children of Muslim community as per the govt statement.
About Haj Subsidy In India
Haj subsidy is given in India by the centre government to those Muslims who were visiting to their pilgrimage Mecca. As per it, the air fares were given at discounted prices to Muslims in government owned Air India.
The decision of Haj subsidy cancelled seems to be a result of increased in cost due to increase in number of pilgrims. As per the data in year 1994, the number of pilgrims going to haj from India were only 21,035. In 2011, it was risen to 1,25000.
The cost of per pilgrim also gone high. In 1994, the cost of travel per person was just Rs. 17,000. But in 2011 it risen up to Rs. 54,800 thus resulting annual cost up to Rs. 685 Crores as compared to Rs. 10.51 crore in 1994. This is why government had to take this decision.
Earlier in 2012, in Supreme court decision on Haj subsidy it was ordered to reduce the amount slowly and then to abolish haj subsidy completely.