MARGAO
Newly-appointed Chairman of the Goa Haj Committee Urfan Mulla on Saturday said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured that the foundation stone for the Goa Haj House will be laid before 2024.
Mulla made the statement after the Chief Minister chaired the first executive meeting along with the newly appointed Haj Chairman and Home Department Joint Secretary Haldankar and Member Secretary Vivek.
He said the Chief Minister has further assured the committee that a new Haj office will be allotted to the Haj Committee at the South Goa Collectorate building within 10 days.
Mulla further said the embarkation point for the Hajis will return to Goa if the quota of 200 Hajis is filled up. In the event, the quota is filled up, a direct flight from Goa to Saudi Arabia will become a reality, he added.
Saying the Chief Minister has promised to increase the annual Budget for the Haj Committee to Rs 1 crore, he said the government has promised to permit the Haj Committee Chairman to recruit new staff as per the laid down norms to ensure that the Haj office runs smoothly.
He further said that the Haj Committee chairman will be accorded the State of Cabinet rank like other states in the country. He said the Haj office will provide all the government schemes and policies to people’s doorsteps.
