The Centre has decided to scrap the subsidy extended to minority Muslims from 2018, it is reliably learnt.
A decision to this effect was taken at a review meeting held on Thursday, which was attended by senior officials from External, Minority Affairs and Civil Aviation.

According to reliable sources, the government has come to the conclusion after the Committee that appointed in 2017 to review the uplift of minority Muslims in the country. The Committee apparently recommended for focusing on education promotion among the minority community members.

Before 2012, the amount of fu¬n¬ds set aside for Haj subsidy was cited to the Supreme Court as av¬eraging around Rs 650 crore per year. Since then, subsidies have gr¬adually declined. Last year, the amount was pegged at Rs 450 crore.

A source, who shared info on condition of anonymity, said the government had agreed to certain suggesti¬o¬ns by the stakeholders but made it clear that the subsidy would have to go in 2018 itself. Minority Affairs Ministry officials said Haj subsidy funds would from now on be used for educational empowerment and the welfare of minorities in the country.

Hindutva outfits have traditio¬nally attacked the subsidy on gr¬o¬unds that it is contrary to the pr¬inciple of secularism and ser¬v¬es to appease the minority community. They have also sought to tu¬rn it into justification to dema¬n¬d subsidy for Hindu pil¬¬gr¬images.

Sources said scrapping of the subsidy would mainly hit pilgr¬ims from small cities and states that do not have many people going for Haj, such as Assam and Jharkhand.

“Air fares will shoot up for pilgrims travelling from small cities which do not have regular flights to Saudi Arabia. But for pilgrims travelling from major cities won’t be affected much. That is why the special co¬mmittee had recommended sc¬r¬a¬pping of embarkation points in small cities,” said a Minority Affairs Ministry official, who did not wish to be named.