Cabinet clears 18000 more pilgrims for Haj, agrees to extra air fare

The Ministry, which had refused to take on more passengers as Air India did not have spare aircraft, has been directed to scout for more planes either through wet or dry lease if it cannot accommodate them on regular flights.

The third option is to farm out the additional passengers to Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s international carrier. Saudia presently carries 52,000 of the 82,000 pilgrims.

‘‘The subsidy would depend upon seat availability and the number of aircraft,’’ Information and Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy said when asked about the subsidy outgo. ‘‘If Air India can do it alone, it would be different,’’ he added.

The current subsidy, without the 5 per cent fare hike, is around Rs 12,500 per passenger.

Sources in the Civil Aviation Ministry said that the proposal was approved despite loose ends so that its announcement did not get blocked by the Election Commission announcing the Bihar poll dates.

They said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress party leader Ahmad Patel met Prime Minister earlier this week to impress upon the urgency and the need to increase the pilgrims’ number. While 72,000 pilgrims went in 2004, their number was raised to 82,000 this year.

At that meeting, the PM agreed to the proposal while insisting that the number be capped at one lakh for the next three years, said sources.

The Cabinet also cleared modifications in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill with an aim to get it approved before Parliament’s current monsoon session ends on August 26.

‘‘It will be introduced in Parliament on Tuesday and sought to be passed in the monsoon session itself,’’ Reddy said. He declined to outline modifications to the bill in view of the ongoing session.

The bill, which was referred to the Standing Committee and later to a Group of Ministers, has the push of the Left parties which say that it was part of the commitments agreed to in the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition government.

The proposed law guarantees better livelihood to improve the lives of the rural poor by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed employment every year to each poor household. It is the brainchild of Sonia Gandhi’s National Advisory Council.

Another populist decision by the Cabinet was a one-time increase of 5 per cent in time-related continuity allowance of village postmen. ‘‘This Cabinet decision will improve the emoluments of Gramin Dak Sevaks,’’ said a government statement.

The Cabinet also decided to increase the pension and dearness relief to freedom fighters and their spouse by nearly Rs 1,700 per month.

The package for freedom fighters who underwent imprisonment in Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been raised from Rs 5,760 per month to Rs 7,500 while those who suffered outside British India would be given Rs 6,750 from previous Rs 5,760 per month.

Freedom fighters that do not fall under these two categories would get Rs 6,000 from the earlier Rs 4,320 per month. These would include the fighters who joined the Indian National Army of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Job scheme bill okayed

• Cabinet OKs changes in National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, hopes to get House approval this session

• Pension and dearness relief to freedom fighters and their spouse raised by nearly Rs 1,700 per month

• One-time increase of 5 per cent in time-related continuity allowance of village postmen