Increase in Number of Haj Pilgrims, Funds for Construction of Haj Houses

New Delhi, March 19, 2020: “Public Order” and “Police” are State subjects as per the provisions of the Constitution. The responsibility of maintaining law and order, registration and prosecution of crimes against all citizens including minorities, rests with the respective State Governments. Government of India monitors the internal security and law and order situation in the country, and issues appropriate alerts and advisories from time to time to maintain peace, public tranquility and communal harmony. Government also deploys Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to aid and assist State Governments in this regard.

As for Haj pilgrims, the total number of Haj pilgrims from the country is discussed bilaterally between the Government of India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia decides the Haj quota for each country including India every year.

As regards subsidy on air travel of Haj pilgrims going through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI), the same has been discontinued with effect from Haj 2018 and that no Haj pilgrims was provided subsidy by the Government in the year 2019-20.

The Central government has no scheme to construct Haj Houses in the country. Hence no funds are provided by the Central Government for this purpose. The State Governments may however, construct Haj Houses in the respective States through their State Haj Committees. In addition, the Haj Committee of India (HCoI), a statutory body, under the administrative control of this Ministry provides some financial assistance to State/ Union Territory Haj Committees (SHCs) for this purpose. As per the information received from HCoI, the number of Haj Houses in the country constructed by the SHCs, State/ UT-wise is annexed.

Haj Houses in the Country, State Governments/ UT Administrations wise

This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in written replies to the Lok Sabha today.