Ansari unveils Haj Tower-cum-Empowerment centre in Kolkata

Kolkata, Jan 19 (UNI) Vice-President Hamid Ansari today termed as ''innovative and a new concept'' the setting up of Haj Tower-cum- Empowerment centre here.

Unveiling the centre, Md Ansari said though Haj houses had been made available to every state, but it was for the first time that the West Bengal Government was using this facility as vocational-cum- technical training centre for empowerment of Muslim boys and girls.

The Vice-President urged all the state governments to follow the same example.

When completed, the tower would benefit not only the people of the state, but pilgims of the entire eastern and Northeastern regions, he said.

Md Ansari said the number of pilgrims was increasing every year and his Government was taking new initiatives to provide them with better facilities and comfort during the Haj journey.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the Left Front Government had provided the land for this project at Rajarhat worth Rs five crore.

The Chief Minister hoped the problems of the Haj pilgrims would be solved in the near future.

Mr Bhattacharjee said his government was taking steps to solve the problems of minority and this tower would be working as a modern and an innovative vocational training centre for the Muslim youths to make them self-reliant.

He said the state government was earmarking a project site, specifically to resolve the housing problem facing the community, and added that the proposed project would provide better living facilities at reasonable cost.

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