Distribution of Haj 2013 application forms begins

Hyderabad, February 6 : Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Ahmadullah on Wednesday launched the distribution of Haj Application Forms for the Haj 2013 at Haj House, Nampally.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmadullah said that the State Government and the Andhra Pradesh State Haj Committee would provide all the facilities to the Haj pilgrims of the State. He said that this year the Haj Committee of India has made it mandatory for all the Muslims to perform Haj only once in a life time and as per that decision, the forms would be accepted from those persons who did not perform Haj earlier. The persons of 70 years and above besides the applicants who have been filing Haj applications for three years would be automatically selected for Haj 2013, he said.

Later, speaking to the media persons, the minister said that the new Haj House would be constructed soon near Shamsabad Airport for the smooth departure of Haji pilgrims. The Minister said that all the applicants should have a valid passport issued on or before 20th March 2013 which should be valid at least till 20-03-2013. The applicants under reserved categories should submit their original passports along with the application forms. This year the Ministry of External Affairs, government of India has directed to restrict the number of pilgrimages to a Haj applicant through Haj Committee of India to once in a life time as against the existing once in a five years.

This is a major change, he said, therefore all the applicants should submit an affidavit stating that they have not performed Haj earlier through the Haj Committee of India. Only two categories i.e. Green and Azeezia will be available to the pilgrims, the Minister said.

Haj Committee Chairman Syed Khaleeluddin Ahmed presided over the meeting and said that the Haj Application Forms will be available free of cost between 10 AM and 3 PM on all working days and could be submitted on or before 20th March. He said that necessary arrangements have been made for distribution of Haj Forms in all the districts through various District Haj Societies. The filled in applications along with all necessary documents such as copies of passports, address proof, an affidavit, SBI bank pay in slip of Rs 300 per pilgrim, and two photographs besides a cancelled blank cheque to ascertain IFS Code and MICR Code of the bank where the applicant has his account, should be submitted in the office of the AP State Haj Committee.

Haj Committee members Syed Raza Hussain Azad, Mahmood Hussain Engineer, Shaik Shareef, Mohammed Baig and Malika Begum and AEO Irfan Shareef were present on this occasion. INN