Haj Committee of India an autonomous body, constituted under the Act of Parliament No.35 of 2002. It is presently working under Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi .
It is established for making arrangement for the pilgrimage of Muslims for Haj . The Committee has its headquarter at Mumbai and Liasion Office at New Delhi , the Committee consists of the following Members.
1. Three Member of Parliament of whom two are to be nominated by the speaker of the house of the people from among its Muslim Members and one by the Chairman of the Council of states from among its Muslim Members. Provided that a Member of Parliament shall, upon ceasing to be a Member, of the Committee and the Speaker of the house of the people or the Chairman of the Council of States, as the case may be shall make a fresh nomination upon request by the Central Government.
2. Nine Muslim Member of the Committee shall be elected, three from those States sending largest number of pilgrims during last three years and one each from the zones as specialized in the schedule, in such manner as may be prescribed provided that not more than one member shall be elected from a state falling in the zone as specified in the schedule.
3. Four persons not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India nominated by that Government to represent the Ministry of External Affairs, Home, Finance, and Civil Aviation as Ex-Officio Members.
4. Seven Muslim Members Shall be nominated by the Central Government from among the following categories of persons namely.
a) Two Member who have a special knowledge of public administration, finance, education culture or social work and out of whom one shall be a Shia Muslim.
b) Two Women Members out of them one shall be Shia Muslim.
c) Three Members who have special knowledge of Muslim theology and law, out of them one shall be a Shia Muslim.
Term of Office
The term of office of the Members of the Committee (other than Ex-Officio Members and Members filling casual vacancies) shall be three years commencing on the day following the publication of the list of Members.
Duties of Committee
1. To collect and disseminate information useful to pilgrims and to arrange orientation and training programmes for pilgrims.
2. To advise and assist pilgrims during their stay at the embarkation points in India . While proceeding to or returning from pilgrimage in all matter including vaccination inoculation, medical inspection issue of pilgrim passes and foreign exchange and to liaise with local authorities concerned in such matters.
3. To give relief to pilgrims in distress.
4. To finalize the annual Haj Plan with the approval of the Central Government and execute the plan including the arrangements for travel by air or any other means and to advise in matters relating to accommodations.
5. To approve the budget estimates of the Committee and submit if to the Central Government at least 3 months before the beginning of the financial year for its concurrence.
6. To co-ordinate with Central Government Railway, Airways and Travel Agencies for the purpose of securing traveling facilities for pilgrims.
7. To generally look after the welfare of the pilgrims.
8. To publish such proceedings of the Committee and such matter of interest to pilgrims as may be determind by laws made in this behalf by the Committee.
9. To discharge such other duties in connection with Haj as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
The Central Government shall afford all reasonable assistance to the Committee in the discharge of duties, there are also State Haj Committees of every State and Union Territories of India . All State Haj Committees shall be the duty to implement the policy and directions of the Committee in the interests of Haj pilgrims. The State Haj Committee shall provide assistance to the Haj pilgrims including in the matter of their transport between their home states and the point of exit from India and their transit accommodation at points of exit, the State Haj Committees shall discharge such other duties in connection with Haj as may be prescribed by the State Government concerned in consultation with Central Government and Haj Committee of India.
PARTICULARS OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, Dy. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & OFFICIALS OF HAJ COMMITTEE OF INDIA IN THE LIGHT OF SECTION 4 OF THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005.
The officers and employees of the Committee and other persons duly appointed to discharge any duty under the Act and Rules or Bye Laws made there under shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the India penal code and fundamental supplementary Rules of Government of India are applicable to them.
No suit prosecution or other legal proceeding shall be lie against the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson any Member of Committee or any officer and employees of Committee in respect as anything in good faith done or preparing to have been done under the Act except with the prior permission of the Central Government.
Duty hours
a) The normal hour of the work for the office of the Committee is 10:00 to 18:00 hours with five days a week.
b) Committee may declare the list of Holidays to be observed by its office. It may generally observed the Holidays declare by the Government of India for its offices.
Finance Accounts & Audit
The Committee is having its own funds to be called the Central haj Fund and placed to the credit thereof the following sums:-
a) Sums realized from any fee, service charges which may be levied by the Committee registration of application for Haj and for issue of Haj pilgrims travel passes.
b) Money collected from the pilgrims for performance of Haj
c) The income from all deposit and investment of the Committee funds.
d) Sums realized from the sale of the effects of deceased pilgrims and sum of money left by them which are unclaimed and have lapsed to the Central Government.
e) Any sums loaned by Central or State Government or any other source approved by the Government.
f) Any amount that may be legally due to the Committee from any source.
Application of Central Haj Fund
The Central Haj Fund is under the control and management of the Committee and is applied to the following purposes with the approval of Central Government.
a) Pay & Allowances of officer and employees of Haj Committee.
b) Payment of charges and expenses for office expenditure.
c) Any other expenses which are required to be made by the Committee as approved by the Central Government.
Audit
The Committee maintained proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare annual statement of accounts as prescribed by the Central Government. The accounts examine and audit annually by the Comptroller of Auditor and General, Government of India, New Delhi and certified audit report thereon shall be forwarded annually to Central Government. The Central Government after receipt of audit report the same to be laid before each house of Parliament and the same to be laid before state legislature.
Publication of Manuals etc.
1. The Committee may publish the Haj Programme , its Action Plan and Schedule of Haj arrangements in news paper and magazines after being confirmed by the Central Government.
2. The Committee may issue press note and press release with regard to Haj flying proramme , alteration in flight schedules, prevailing rules and regulations concerning foreign exchange, export and import rules, restriction on pilgrims, health and booking of pilgrims with alterations and additions etc. For the information of pilgrims.
3. The Committee, with the approval of the Central Government, may produce films and documentaries, publish manuals, booklets, pamphlets or handbills and release other electronic media for the purpose of informing and educating the pilgrims in mater relating to pilgrim traffic.
4. These publications may be published in different languages understood generally by the public in different parts of the country.
5. The Committee shall conduct orientation and training course for the pilgrims and hold seminars, discussions and other programmes to create Haj awareness.
