The Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Shri S.M.. Krishna to increase the Haj quota for Madhya Pradesh to at least five thousand.
In a letter to Shri Krishna today the Chief Minister pointed out that Madhya Pradesh has been provided a Government quota of 2 thousand 891 pilgrims for Haj pilgrimage to visit Saudi Arabia this year. As informed by the State Haj Committee, the number of applications received is 16 thousand 153, indicating a sharp rise in the demand for the pilgrimage to Jeddah. However, the Government quota for Madhya Pradesh remains the same as last year without any increase.The Chief Minister requested Shri Krishna to review the requirement of the state for 2011 and increase the Government quota from 2 thousand 891 to at least five thousand pilgrims. He said that it would be desirable for three thousand Haj pilgrims to depart from the Bhopal embarkation point and the balance two thousand pilgrims from the Indore embarkation point.
The Chief Minister said that the increase in the quota would greatly help in meeting the needs and aspirations of the Haj pilgrims of Madhya Pradesh.