J&K has no record about resignation of Chairman Hajj Committee

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 27:  Government has no record about the resignation or completing full term by first elected Chairman of State Hajj Committee (SHC).
This information was given by Minister of State (MoS) for Hajj and Auqaf (independent charge) Farooq Ahmad Andrabi in a written reply to a question by Mohammad Muzaffar Parray in the Legislative Council.
He said the SHC was constituted in January, 2007.  However, the reply said there is no records available in the office to the effect that the first elected chairman Abdul Gaffar had resigned from the post before expiry of his term.
The Member had asked whether it is a fact that first SHC chairman had resigned from the post before his term expired in the year 2011. The reply said as per records Mr Gaffar has not drawn any pay during his tenture form SHC as there is no such provision in the Hajj Committee Act 2002. However, he has drawn Travelling and Daily allowance for attending meetings of the committee.
The present SHC completes its term on May 31, 2016 and reconstitution of the committee in term of Hajj Committee Act 2002 (Central Act) read with J&K State Hajj Committee Rules 2013 is under process.
The Executive Officer of SHC is being appointed strictly as per norms laid in the Hajj Committee Act 2002 read with J&K SHC Rules which provides for appointment of an officer not below the rank of a deputy secretary by transfer or deputuation ordinarily for a period of three years extendable upto five years.
The reply said during 2015 Commissioner-secretary to Government Revenue department was deputed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Saudi Arabia to oversee arrangements for Hajj 2015 to attend day to day grievances of pilgrims and coordinate the working of Khadim-ul-Hujaj.
The minister claimed that work done by the OSD was acclaimed by one and all particularly during the crane crash at Makkah and stampede at Mina.
He said during last year the Hajj Committee of India (HCI) introduced the policy of deputing officers of all SHCs as supervisors to oversee and coordinating the working of Khadim-ul-Hujaj deployed with the pilgrims. Executive Officer of SHC was deputed in the same capacity and his deputation alongwith OSD proved extremely fruitful during the pilgrimage.
The reply said that the expenditure for deputation of Khadum-ul-Hujaj, concluding supervisory Khadum-ul-Hujaj of all states is borne by HCI to the extend of 50 per cent. For deputation of OSD on special duties and two observers, the expenditure ws borne by the State Government.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here