2,000 additional seats allotted to J-K for Haj 2018 as 'special quota': Naqvi

Jammu and Kashmir has been allotted 2,000 additional seats for Haj this year as a "special quota" in line with the new formula of allocation of surplus seats generated by under-utilised quota of states, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the Lok Sabha today.

In a reply to a written question, he said with the addition of 2,000 seats, a total of 10,062 seats have been allocated to Jammu and Kashmir for Haj 2018. A total of 7,960 seats were allotted to the state for Haj 2017.

In accordance with the new Haj policy formula of allocation of surplus seats generated by under-utilised quota of states for Haj 2018, 2,000 additional seats have been allocated to Jammu and Kashmir as a "special quota", Naqvi said.

The Haj quota allotted to the Haj Committee of India is distributed among all states and Union Territories in proportion of their Muslim population as per the 2011 census, he said.

On another question about the number of seats reserved under discretionary quota, Naqvi said as per the guidelines approved by the Supreme Court, in its 2012 order, the number of seats allocated on the recommendations of dignitaries were 100 seats --President, 75 seats --Vice President, 75 seats -- Prime Minister, 50 seats -- Ministry of External Affairs and 200 seats -- the Haj Committee of India.

With the transfer of Haj Affairs from the MEA to the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) from October 1, 2016, the seats reserved for the MEA are being allocated on the recommendation of MoMA, he said.

To another question on seats allotted to private tour operators (PTOs), Naqvi said a total of 46,323 seats have been allocated to 609 PTOs from across the country.