Andhra Pradesh govt provides ₹1 lakh each to 333 Hajj pilgrims
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Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has provided financial assistance of ₹1 lakh each to 333 eligible Hajj pilgrims who departed for the pilgrimage through the Vijayawada embarkation point.
State Hajj Committee Chairman Haji Shaik Hasan Basha on Friday expressed satisfaction that all Hajj pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh had returned home safely after completing the pilgrimage.
Addressing a press conference, Basha said around 2,000 pilgrims from the state travelled to the holy city of Mecca through the embarkation points at Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. All of them successfully completed their religious rituals and returned home without any major difficulties.
He said Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu fulfilled his election promise by extending financial assistance of ₹1 lakh to every eligible pilgrim who travelled through the Vijayawada embarkation point.
Following the Chief Minister's directions and under the supervision of Minority Welfare Minister N.M.D. Farooq, ₹1 lakh was transferred through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system into the personal bank accounts of 333 eligible pilgrims who departed from Vijayawada.
According to Basha, the beneficiaries confirmed over the phone that they had received the financial assistance and expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister and the state government. He said the pilgrims also offered special prayers in the holy city of Mecca for the welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the state's development.
The Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government had announced last year that every Hajj pilgrim departing from the Vijayawada embarkation point would receive financial assistance of ₹1 lakh to offset the additional travel expenses incurred while flying from Vijayawada. Each pilgrim bears an extra cost of around ₹68,000, and 72 pilgrims who travelled from Vijayawada last year also received similar assistance.
Basha said pilgrims who visited Mecca and Medina informed the State Hajj Committee that their journey was smooth and free from any major inconvenience. He added that State Hajj Inspectors and 'Khadim-ul-Hujjaj' (Hajj volunteers) provided continuous assistance and support throughout the pilgrimage.
On behalf of the Muslim community, the Hajj pilgrims and members of the State Hajj Committee, Basha thanked Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Information Technology and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh, and Minority Welfare Minister N.M.D. Farooq for prioritising the welfare of minorities.
