The first batch of Haj pilgrims from Jharkhand took off from the capital-based Birsa Munda Airport on Friday to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. A total of 266 Hajjis from all over the State boarded the 1:30 Flynas flight to Jeddah International Airport.
“It is my request that the Hajjis pray for well-being of the State, nation and world and that peace prevails everywhere. I expect that the positive energy they bring back from their
religious journey will be used for the development of the State,” said Chief Minister Raghubar Das while seeing off the pilgrims.
State Welfare Minister louis Marandi stated that the pilgrims pray for the prosperity and development of State and return safely from their journey. Congress leader Subodh kant Sahay and Jamtara MlA Imran Ansari also wished the first batch of Hajjis and safe and fruitful journey.
“During this Haj, I will present the problems of our State and nation and ask for their solutions. I am wishing that my prayers are heard and I am able to perform the rituals properly,” said Rahmat Hasan Ansari, a Haji waiting his turn for airport check-in.
On this occasion, lok Sabha MP Ramtahal Choudhary stated that the Hajj House in Ranchi needs to be completed to make the journey easier for pilgrims coming in from other districts of Jharkhand.
In reply to this, Das said, “We are working towards making the best Haj House of the country in the nation here in Jharkhand. Even Rajya Sabha MP MJ Akbar is taking interest in the project and has contacted several competent architects to look into it. The construction work will be completed within the ongoing financial year. Also, State Government will not hold back while taking action against those guilty of letting the project to end up in a bad condition.”
He also said, “Education is crucial for development and it is expected of the educated youth from the minority sections in the state that they take knowledge and to the last man of the society. Only when everybody is aware of the state-run welfare projects will they be able to contribute in the development of the state.”
Das also encouraged the young entrepreneurs from minority communities to avail the benefits of recently announced Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
“Youth, especially from Muslim community, is involved in a wide selection of small enterprises like auto mechanic, weaver and many more.
Under the Mudra scheme, they can get loans within the corpus of 50 thousand and ten lakh rupees. So instead of going to unorganised lenders for loans, they can come to the Government,” he said.
“We have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Dumka between September 25 and October 2 to inaugurate the scheme. It was Dumka where revolution against sahukars began and now we will launch a similar movement to free small-scale entrepreneurs from the clutches of middlemen and moneylenders,” said Das.f