Beyond Headlines An attempt to 'report a cause aright'
Afroz Alam Sahil, BeyondHeadlines
New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Monday will hear a special leave petition filed by Union of India against the verdict of Mumbai High Court in a case regarding Haj Subsidy and Haj quota to private tour operators.
Vivek Jeph, under secretary Ministry of External Affairs, has filed an affidavit in Supreme Court on behalf of Union of India giving details about Haj subsidy and other Haj related Functions.
According to the affidavit the Haj Subsidy given by Government of India in Year 2011 was 685 crore. The Government pays Haj subsidy on Airfare.
Shockingly in a reply to RTI filed by BeyondHeadlines the Ministry of External Affairs on 20th April, 2012 said that the subsidy paid in year 2011 was 605 crores.
The difference of 80 Crore in the affidavit and the RTI indicates towards a new scam in name of Haj Subsidy or the Government of India is lying to the Supreme Court by Producing False facts.
More Shockingly in last year 124921 Hajis went to Haj by Haj Committee of India. The Government paid subsidy of 38,800 per Haji on the airfare. If we calculate the total Haj subsidy on airfare it comes to nearly 483 crores.
But in the Affidavit the government says 685 crores were spent on the Haj Subsidy. BeyondHeadlines and the people of India would like to ask the government that where were 202 crores spent?
It should be noted that the government pays Haj Subsidy only on the airfare. In last five years the Government (as per the affidavit submitted in SC) paid Haj Subsidy of 3347 Crores. Shockingly the total Airfare subsidy comes to 2557 Crores (calculated on No. of Hajis and Airfare).
The data show that 790 Crore more were spent on Haj Subsidy then the total subsidy on Airfare in last 5 years. This difference indicates towards a larger scam in name of Haj Subsidy.
Also why there is difference in facts provided through RTI and in the affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court. There are also differences in No. of Hajis as well.
According to the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court the Government says that Ministry of Civil Aviation floats a tender to select an airline to get competitive fare to ferry Haj Pilgrims. From 2007 onwards the airfare is as follows. 47182, 72640, 55200, 47675, 54800.
The airfare is fluctuating every year but in 2008 it was shockingly high and the government paid subsidy of 60640, which is nearly double from the earlier and later year. BeyondHeadlines would like to ask the MEA that what happened in 2008 that ministry was forced to select an Airline with such high rates? In 2008 the total airfare subsidy paid was 895 crore, which is nearly double to the earlier year.
The tables below shows the difference in Haj Subsidy.
Affidavit submitted in Hon’ble Supreme Court
| Year | No. of Pilgrims | Travel Cost per Pilgrim (Rs.) | Amount paid by each Pilgrim | Subsidy per Pilgrim(Rs) | Total Subsidy (In Crores) | Actual Subsidy on Airfare (In Crores) | Difference(In Crores) |
| 2001 | 71215 | 29000 | 12000 | 17000 | 156.68 | 121.06 | 35.62 |
| 2002 | 70298 | 36609 | 12000 | 24609 | 173.63 | 172.99 | 0.64 |
| 2003 | 70019 | 36504 | 12000 | 24504 | 172.00 | 171.57 | 0.43 |
| 2004 | 71945 | 34240 | 12000 | 22240 | 160.70 | 160.00 | 0.70 |
| 2005 | 80786 | 35000 | 12000 | 23000 | 185.81 | 185.81 | —– |
| 2006 | 99926 | 40000 | 12000 | 28000 | 280 | 279.79 | 0.21 |
| 2006-II | 108373 | 44111 | 12000 | 32111 | 367 | 347 | 20 |
| 2007 | 110000 | 47182 | 12000 | 35182 | 477 | 387 | 90 |
| 2008 | 123211 | 72640 | 12000 | 60640 | 895 | 747 | 148 |
| 2009 | 125000 | 55200 | 12000 | 43200 | 690 | 540 | 150 |
| 2010 | 125850 | 47675 | 16000 | 31675 | 600 | 398 | 202 |
| 2011 | 125000 | 548000 | 16000 | 38800 | 685 | 485 | 200 |
Information Received by RTI
| Year | No. of Pilgrim | Amount of Subsidy (in Rs. Crores)* |
| 2001 | 156.68 | |
| 2002 | 173.63 | |
| 2003 | 69,795 | 172.00 |
| 2004 | 71,711 | 160.70 |
| 2005 | 80,786 | 198.00 |
| 2006 | 99,926 | 290.00 |
| 2006-II | 108,373 | 470.56 |
| 2007 | 110,415 | 477.00 |
| 2008 | 121,787 | 895.00 |
| 2009 | 120,127 | 690.00 |
| 2010 | 125,850 | 600.00 |
| 2011 | 1,24,921 | 605.00 +service tax to be paid |
*Includes provisional figures
The MEA is looting indian Muslims for years in d name of subsidy. Open tender be called. Only muslim officers be appointed for entire ministry looking into the matter of hajj including secretary. Strict action be taken who are found guilty in this multi crore scam.
What does the delegation does talk when they go to ksa?no fruitful talk? Let the religious matter of muslims be handled by muslim officers only.
We no more have faith in non muslim ministry officers.
Muslims never demanded for govt subsidy. So
let all the subsidy given to all religions be removed including ambernath. Let money of people be not waste instead be invested on education & health.
I mean seriously!!! How could Hindu govt. officers be allowed to do this? /S
Also, for your information, Ambarnath is not given any subsidy on the contrary people are taxed if they go on Ambarnath Yatra. Please update your knowledge.
The subsidy has always been a vote bank politics played by successive governments. If you hate the subsidy so much how come an ever increasing number of Muslims are availing it every year?
AND, if corruption has to be avoided, the narrow-moronic attitude of “Only-Muslim-Officers” be allowed has to be removed. I am sure you want “Only-Muslim” many things in this country, however, contrary to what the politicians behave like and act like, we are a secular be it pseudo-secular country.
seriously are you talking about no subsidy update yourself buddy
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3281691.ece
Compare a 39k Subsidy against a 3k discount in Fees. That is highly probable. Again discount on Optional Helicopter Travel does mean Subsidy doesn’t it. Just apples and oranges. A discount which is 40% of the optional Helicopter travel and a Subsidy which is 71% of the necessary required total cost. Seems legit. Please do update yourself whether said Helicopter travel is REQUIRED, and how many avail it. Only a few do. The Helicopter is OPTIONAL, on the other hand if you do want to reach Mecca I do believe Air Travel is necessary…
Also wasn’t it HARAM to do Haj on someone else’s money? That is what a Muslim friend used to tell me, he used to say that, if you want to do Haj you have to do it on your own not using some other person’s money. All these people availing Subsidy will not benefit it as it was HARAM to do any pilgrimage using other peoples money.
So you can use Tax Money of Hindus and do a Haj but do not want Hindu Officers on the board. I see what you are doing there.
As i earlier said not only HINDUS pay icome tax.
MUSLIMS ALSO PAY INCOME TAX.
its not hindus money…
Aenual, the travel by Helicopter is used on the last stage of the Yatra, and it is completely optional for people. People travel on Foot, or in Dolis, or using Horses. Only the rich who can afford Helicopter travel use it which is still a lesser percentage.
As for the Jazia imposed by the state government I suggest you update yourself on these link
http://www.merinews.com/article/govt-revises-entry-tax-on-amarnath-bound-buses/15822813.shtml
So, isn’t it hypocritical of Muslims to demand subsidy and then tax people on their faith?
There is no Subsidy my friend. It is Haram as per quoran …. and My friend its not just the tax paid by hindus which sponser your so called pilgrimage
Why dont you settle in Porkistan where you will get plenty of muslim officer to handle you religious matter but I suspect you will get subsidy for huj. In the country of Hindu no hindu get subsidy for their pilgrimage (not even Amarnath- pehela apna knowledge badha aur dekh kabhi kisi hindu ko subsidy mili hai kya). no muslim country in the ‘WORLD’ giving subsidy for huj including porkistan & when India is giving they are still complaining of appointing Muslim officer. It is a habit of Muslim that they have always been complaining about facility from the days of independence.
We live in INDIA because we are born here its our Country.
why should we leave our country.
we dont care bout pakistan and afghanistn or iraq.
We are INDIAN we pay tax here in INDIA. and government evey year spending many crore on KAVAD YATRA
also in uttarakhand there was a big scam in MAHA KUMBH.
why government spending crores of rupees on them.
Hi,
I agree with you as being Indian and hope you will fight against sectional identity’s and try to stop all subsides to all religion , b’cause GOD HAS NO RELIGION
Wonder why every news, issue or topic ends up into religion bashing ………are the literate audience so naive …….to not know what the real problems are ???
This is a fraud played in the name of religion. Let all religions be treated equally! Stop this nonsense of minority and majority religions.If subsidy is to be given ,give it to all irrespective of religion. Why should only Hindu temples be under govt control?Let the govt take over all temples ,churches and mosques and bring them under various boards or hand them over to the people of those religions.
Can nayone justify this rate of increase in cost of travel
2007 110000 47182 12000 35182 477 387 90
2008 123211 72640 12000 60640 895 747 148
2009 125000 55200 12000 43200 690 540 150
2010 125850 47675 16000 31675 600 398 202
2011 125000 54800 16000 38800 685 485 200
They Just raise the price of Travelling ticket and show that we care for Muslim and give subsidy. Saudi airlines gives travelling ticket in less price than government subsidized price.
you are right vishal saudi airline is providing air tickets much less then subsidized price by indian govt. question is why not going with it.
Amarnath jatra & haj amount shouldn’t be paid by others given in mythology stop giving subsidy. 99.99% are corupt in this country how can we faith on muslim officers
Hindu Officers are also corrupt. its not about muslim officers or hindu officers. adarsh ghotala hope you are aware of it.
How come a true muslim accepts a Susbidy from tax paid by Kafirs. Many of my Muslim friends calls me and other Hindu friends Kafirs and do not accept even tea from us. They say that you Hindus are Kafirs for us and we can not accept from you. Althoug they are good friends they do not accept any food which has salt or on which we (Kafirs) spent money as for them if they accept it will not be accepted by Almighty Allah and acceptance of anything from Kafirs menas that they are Harams. Their parents and relatives been to Haj many times but they have gone at their own never accepting any subsidy from government of Kafirs (Hindus). Then how come so much subsidy is given and more in that how come there is difference of 80 crores or odd as true muslim never accepts any subsidy from other religious people. And I think Muslims in our country are true Muslims and I respect them and their Koran. Sabaka Malik ek.
We muslims also pay income tax not only hindus pay tax….. and its not only hindu’s country Muslims have equal right on this country….
Get the fck out of INDIA
Bhai mere,
Yeh paiseka mamala hai, paisa chaiye to koi bhi kafir chal jata hai.
if its about kafirs money. WE MUSLIMS ALSO PAY INCOME TAX.
Government also have a Muslims money.
Why has a corruption issue become a Hindu -v- Muslim issue? Let us all stand together against corruption!
People here have more problems to Muslims then corruption i guess.
why govt. is doing with haj subsidy. Even Muslim country like Saudi Arabia is not pay any subsidy for such pilgrimage. these funds should be utilised for the social up liftment of the poor people.
Indian Govt gives subsidy on air fares. Saudi airlines gives travelling ticket in less price than government subsidized price.
I am hurt to read Hindu Muslim comments. We are one nation and should strengthen it. Let us talk of only corruption and how to remove it. The article needs to clarify, One: whether the difference shown in the table has actually been paid by the exchecker ? Two : Whether open tenders regarding fares and appointment of tour operators were called always or it is hush hush deal. Thirdly : Who introduced the system of Haj subsidy, when and why? I feel replies to these questions should form a part of the affidavit if not done earlier. A link giving the details of the High Court judgement should also be given.
We are one nation and should be living with love in society. we should fights against corruption not against any religion… MAZHAB NAHI SIKHATA APAS ME BAIR RAKHNA…
but those who speaking wrong way should be corrected.
dusare ke dwara diye hue paise se haj ki yatra haram hai AENUAL HAQ bhai. Pahale islam ke bare mai to samajho. ye congress ki sarkar hum musalmano ka dharm bharst kar rahi hai
bhut bada ghotala haj subsidi ke naam par.haj subsidi galat hai subsidi bray naam hai agr apko england jana hai to kiraya kam hai lekin agar apko suadi arab jana hai to kiraya jyada hai tab bhi subsidi ke naam par upa hukumat ham hindustani muslims ko bewakoof bna rhi.
Dear Sir, You have mentioned Rs,548000/- as travel cost per pilgrim in the year 2011 which may be by mistake but you have not given comparative figures of air fare taken by other air companies from pilgrims who went by PTO during these years. Please do provide it. There is a big scam of BST also. Why there is no audit report available on the site of Haj Committee. Are accounts of HCOI certified by Chartered Accountants or not?
“The Haj subsidy of Rs 600 crore is given to Air India and not pilgrims… Under this garb of subsidy, it (money) is going to Air India which is a sick airline,” Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi told reporters outside Parliament
my friends our country don’t have any risk by outsider or by any politics .
we r the risk for our country.