The selection of Haj pilgrims from Chhattisgarh for 2013 was conducted here on Sunday through the medium of ‘Kurrah’ (lottery system) .
It may be recalled that the Central Haj Committee has allotted 430 Haj seats for the resident muslims of Chhattisgarh for ‘Haj-2013’ based on the 2001 population census.
As per the prevailing rules of the Central Haj Committee, out of the 430 seats allotted to residents from Chhattisgarh, 169 seats come under reserved category of applicants and the rest 261 were to be allotted thorough the Kurrah (lottery) system.
The Central Haj Committee this year had received 2.98 lakh applications out of which 1,210 were received from applicants in Chhattisgarh. According to Chhattisigarh State Haj Committee President Dr Salim Raj, there are 92 additional seats allotted to Chhattisgarh this time round. The Haj quota was raised while considering the size of muslim population in Chhattisgarh.
As per the lottery results declared today, the district wise number of pilgrims selected is as follows – Bastar (4), Bilaspur (21), Dhamtari (4), Durg (45), Janjgir-Champa (2), Kanker (16), Korba (25), Koriya (7), Mahasamund (8), Nayaranpur (5), Raigarh (2), Raipur (74), Rajnandgaon ( 18), Sarguja (10), Kondagaon (6), Baloda Bazar (1), Gariyaband (13), Balod (5), and Balrampur (5).
Reading out the message of Chief Minister Raman Singh on the occasion, Minister for Tribal and Scheduled Caste Welfare Kedar Kashyap, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that the blessing of the lord would reach 2 crore population of the State through the medium of people going to Haj pilgrimage.
Presiding over the programme, Parliamentary Secretary Mahesh Gagda said that few get the opportunity to travel on a Haj pilgrimage. As a result, one must derive maximum benefit from the opportunity, he said.
Present on the occasion were BJP Organisation General Secretary Rampratap Singh, BJP State Working Committee Member Chagan Mundra, Chairman of State Minorities Commission, Dilip Singh Hora besides other prominent guests.