Mehbooba meets Sonia, seeks raise in J

New Delhi, Sept 19 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti today sought UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's intervention for increasing the state's annual Haj quota to facilitate pilgrimage for all sections of society.

Ms Mufti, during a meeting here, told Ms Gandhi that the state should get the maximum quota for annual pilgrimage as it was an ''emotive issue''.

''Allowing a limited number of Haj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir to perform the annual pilgrimage has generated lot of controversy and unrest among the intending pilgrims as it is a highly emotive issue,'' Ms Mufti said.

''I explained to Ms Gandhi that the state should get the maximum quota for annual pilgrimage to accommodate all the applicants,'' she added.

The UPA Chairperson assured that she would take up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said Ms Mufti, whose party is the coalition-partner in the Congress-led Jammu and Kashmir Government.

Disbursement of relief among the October 2005 earthquake victims and snow-tsunami victims of Waltengo Naar was also raised at the meeting.

Ms Mufti told the UPA Chairperson that out of the sanctioned relief announced by the Centre for the earthquake victims, only the first instalment of Rs 40,000 has been disbursed so far.

She said around Rs 140 crore were yet to be released by the Center for the purpose.

The PDP President urged Ms Gandhi to facilitate the release of the remaining amount from the Centre so that the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims could be completed before the onset of winter.

Regarding the disbursement of relief to the snow-tsunami victims of Waltengo Naar, Ms Mufti told Ms Gandhi that out of the sanctioned relief of Rs 1 lakh to 200 affected families by the Centre, only 78 had received the money.

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