The Hindu : Haj subsidy for IT assessees to go

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 12, 2003

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Haj subsidy for IT assessees to go

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT.11. The Union Cabinet today decided to continue to provide subsidy for the Haj pilgrimage for the 2004 season at the same level as the current year, but with the imposition of three new conditions. The pilgrims must not be Income Tax assessees, must stay only in the accommodation provided by the Haj Committee and must be taking the pilgrimage for the first time to avail themselves of the subsidy.

Announcing the decision, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, said last year, about 69,721 persons had availed themselves of the benefit. The total subsidy came to Rs. 200 crores, with each pilgrim paying only Rs. 12,000, as against a normal fare of Rs. 40,680. The Cabinet also gave its formal approval for the plan to send an unmanned mission to the moon at a cost of Rs. 386 crores and to launch a new type of remote sensing satellite, which would be able to collect data round the year in all weather.

Under the Moon Mission project, a satellite is proposed to be launched in 2008, which would orbit the moon at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface and collect data for preparation of three-dimensional atlas of regions of scientific interest.

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