Indian Gov''t Calls for Formation of Hajj Committees Across country

- The Indian Government Friday asked the states in the country, which do not have Hajj Committees, to constitute them urgently for making better arrangements for the pilgrims this year.

"I would like to ask states which have not constituted Hajj Committees so far that they should do so without further delay," India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in his address to the All India Annual Haj Conference 2007 at Delhi today.

He also announced that the Government would initiate computerisation of all datas related to Hajj and link it with the state committees for effective and better coordination amongst them. This data would be linked with the Consulate General in Jeddah for preparing better arrangements in advance for the Hajjis, whose numbers are increasing year by year.

The conference was also attended by India's Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel, Chairman of Central Hajj Committee Iqbal Ahmed Sardagi, India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabi M.O.H. Farooq and Saudi Envoy in India Saleh Ali al-Gamdi among others. Mukherjee said the Indian government was committed to providing better facilities to pilgrims, particularly in areas of accommodation, medical and transportation facilities.

The Government has constituted two Committees, one to improve the arrangements of Hajj Pilgrimage and another to look into reforms in the Hajj Committee itself, he said. Mukherjee thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their cooperation and excellent arrangements for Haj, 2006.

Addressing the conference, the Saudi Ambassador to India said, Makkah was a densely populated city and everybody could not get accommodation next to the Haram al-Sharif but assured that his government was taking all necessary steps to meet the requirements.


KUNA