Lok Sabha Question No. 162 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-09
Subject: Central Haj Committee
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *162

## ANSWERED ON 09.12.2021

## CENTRAL HAJ COMMITTEE

## † *162. KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether Central Haj Committee has been constituted;

(b) if not, the reasons for delay in its constitution;

(c) whether such committees exist only on paper in some States; and

(d) if so, the steps being taken by the Government to make them functional?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

(a) To (d)   A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *162 FOR 09.12.2021 RAISED BY SHRI KUNWAR DANISH ALI REGARDING CENTRAL HAJ COMMITTEE

(a) to   (d) The Ministry of Minority Affairs along with officials and Members of Haj Committee  of  India  (HCoI),  officials  of  Consulate  General  of  India,  Jeddah  and various ministries like Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of External Affairs makes arrangements for the smooth and successful conduct of Haj pilgrimage for Haj pilgrims of India.

The  Haj  Committee  of  India  has  been  established  under  the  Haj  Committee  Act2002,  for  making  arrangements  for  the  Haj  pilgrims  and  the  matter  connected thereon.

The composition of the Haj Committee, as provided in section 4 of Haj Committee Act-2002, is as follows:-

- (i) three  members  of  Parliament  of  whom  two  are  to  be  nominated  by  the Speaker of  the  House  of  the  People  from  among  its  Muslim  members,  and one  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Council  of  States  from  among  its  Muslim members: Provided that a member of Parliament shall, upon ceasing to be a member, cease  to  be  a  member  of  the  Committee  and  the  Speaker  of  the House of the People or the Chairman of the Council of States, as the case may  be,  shall  make  a  fresh  nomination  upon  request  by  the  Central Government;
- (ii) nine  Muslim  members  of  the  Committee  shall  be  elected,  three  from  those States  sending  largest  number  of  pilgrims  during  last  three  years  and  one each from the zones as specified in the Schedule, in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that not more than one member shall be elected from a State falling in the zone as specified in the Schedule;
- (iii) four persons not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India nominated by that Government to represent the Ministries of External Affairs, Home, Finance and Civil Aviation, as ex officio members;
- (iv) seven Muslim members shall be nominated by the Central Government from among the following categories of persons, namely:- (a) two members who have special knowledge of public administration, finance, education, culture or social  work  and  out  of  whom  one  shall  be  a  Shia  Muslim;  (b)  two  women members, out of them one shall be Shia Muslim; (c) three members who have special  knowledge  of  Muslim  theology  and  law,  out  of  them  one  shall  be  a Shia Muslim.

Further,  under  section  17  of  Haj  Committee  Act-2002,  state  Haj  Committees  in different  states/  UTs  are  constituted  by  concerned  state  Government  after  Central Government notifies creation of any state Haj Committee in the Official Gazette. The composition of the state Haj Committee, as provided in section 18 of Haj Committee Act-2002, is as follows:-

A State Committee shall consist of sixteen members, to be nominated by the State Government, namely:-

- (i) three  members  from  the  Muslim  members  of-  (a)  Parliament  representing the State; (b) State Legislative Assembly; and (c) Legislative Council, where it exists;
- (ii) three members from Muslim members representing local bodies in the State;
- (iii) three  members  having  expertise  in  Muslim  theology  and  law  including  one who shall be a Shia Muslim;
- (iv) five  members  representing  Muslim  voluntary  organisations  working  in  the fields of public administration, finance, education, culture or social work;
- (v) the Chairperson of the State Wakf Board; and
- (vi) Executive Officer of the State Committee, who shall be the ex officio member of the State Committee: Provided that a Committee for any Union territory or a Joint State Committee shall consist of such number of members as may be prescribed.
- (2)  In  case  where  there  is  no  Muslim  member  in  any  of  the  categories mentioned  in  clauses  (i)  and  (ii)  of  sub-section  (1),  or  where  there  is  no Legislative  Council in  a State, nomination may be made in such  manner as may be prescribed.

As of now, 31 State Haj Committees have been notified by the Central Government. In  addition,  for Haj-2020 and Haj-2021, the  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not allow international  pilgrims  due  to  the  Covid-19  pandemic.  Further,  the  issue  regarding Constitution of Haj Committee of India and State Haj Committees is sub-judice.

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