By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh inaugurated the three-day orientation programme for haj pilgrims at a function held on August 26, 2014 at the campus of Minority Girls’ Hostel at Hafiz Hatta, Imphal .
The programme organized by Manipur State Haj Committee was attended by Parliamentary Secretary of Minority & Other Backward Classes (MOBC) and Chairperson of Manipur State Haj Committe Md. Amin Shah, Parliamentray Secretary (Minor Irrigation) K. Meghachandra Singh, MLA and Chairperson of Wakf Borad, Manipur Md. Fazur Rahim and Chairperson of Manipur State Minorities Commission A. Halim Chowdhury as dias members.
Speaking at the gathering, Chief Minister Ibobi Singh assured to construct a Haj Pilgrim House at a strategic location where the haj pilgrims can stay before leaving Saudi Arabia. The Imphal Airport will be soon be coverted to International Airport. Once that is done the haj pilgrims from the State do not need to take the trouble of going to Guwahati. They can directly go to Saudi Arabia from the Imphal Airport. The State Government is also opening a regular pass-port office at Imphal shortly which will help the haj pilgrims and others in preparing their foreign pass-ports. Today the Manipur State Haj Committee is managed by grant -in-aid fund. The State Government will come up with a plan to engage the committee on a regular basis, he added.
Manipur is a State inhabited by different communities. The communities should strive to bring unity, peace and progress in the State, he further said.
To facilitate the haj pilgrims from the State in carrying money HDFC bank has issued Forex Plus Card. The card was launched by the Chief Minister at the function.
Among others, the function was attended by around 300 Muslims from the State who will be performing haj at Mecca next month. They will be taking part in the orientation programme.