Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appointed Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as Deputy Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha. (File photo)
The appointment of Naqvi, who is known to have cordial relations with leaders of parties across the political spectrum, assumes significance at a time when the Opposition is aiming to target the ruling dispensation over a host of issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appointed Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as Deputy Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi informed Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu that the Prime Minister has directed him to inform that Naqvi, Union Minister of Minority Affairs, has been appointed Deputy Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha.
Naqvi succeeds Piyush Goyal , who has been named Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha. The minority affairs minister is known for his knowledge of parliamentary affairs, and has served as minister of state for parliamentary affairs during the first term of the Modi government.
Naqvi hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur and was elected to the Upper House from Jharkhand. He was MoS for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He joined the BJP in 1986 as a student leader, and emerged as a prominent Muslim face of the party.
The appointment of Naqvi, who is known to have cordial relations with leaders of parties across the political spectrum, assumes significance at a time when the Opposition is aiming to target the ruling dispensation over a host of issues, including handling of the second wave of COVID-19, rise in fuel prices and farmers’ stir.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> India / by Express News Service, New Delhi / July 20th, 2021
First time ever Central Wakf Council has awarded the Mutawallis of Wakf Institutions for their Excellence in the management of Wakf Institution.
Sajjada Nashin and Mutawalli Dr. Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini Sahab of Dargah Hazrath Khaja Bandanawaz RH bagged this prestigious national award by the Ministry of Minorities Affairs through the central Wakf Council which was presented by the Janab Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi-Hon’ble Union Minister of Minority Affairs.
On Behalf, Janab Syed Ali al Hussaini received the award who is the Janasheen of Hzt Khaja Bandanawaz Darga & Pro-Chancellor KBN university.
The Darga has many modernized up-to-date systems like AC rooms for Visitors, Mist Cooling system in open area, Airconditioning inside the tomb, Cleaning machines, Cabbie for Old people, Research center and much more.
3 Awards per zone were to be distributed in four zones East West North South Out of the Five States in south zone Karnataka Bagged 2 awards out of 3.
127 years old “The Muslim Orphanage Bangalore “ also bagged this award from Karnataka, A gesture of appreciation from the minority ministry Govt of India.
source: http://www.gohash.in / Go Hash / Home> Gulbarga / July 31st, 2019
Naqvi made the remarks after signing the bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia with Haj and Umrah Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten.
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (File photo | PTI)
Jeddah / New Delhi :
India has become the first country to make the entire process for pilgrims going on Haj completely digital, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday after signing the bilateral agreement for next year’s pilgrimage with the Saudi Haj Minister in Jeddah.
An online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, “e-MASIHA” health facility, “e-luggage pre-tagging” providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation and transportation in Mecca and Madina will be provided to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020, he said.
Naqvi made the remarks after signing the bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia with Haj and Umrah Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten.
He said for the first time facilities were provided for digital pre-tagging of pilgrims’ baggage.
This will ensure the Indian pilgrims will get information in India itself about the building and the room allotted to them as well as the transportation details for travel after reaching the airport in Saudi Arabia, Naqvi was quoted as saying in a statement issued from his office.
Even the mobile phone SIM card has been linked to mobile App which will ensure pilgrims immediately get all the latest information regarding Haj in Mecca and Madina on their mobile phones.
This year, a 100-line information centre has been established at the Haj House, Mumbai for providing information regarding the entire Haj process.
A health card is being provided to Indian Haj pilgrims in the country, Naqvi said.
E-MASIHA (E-Medical Assistance System for Indian Pilgrims Abroad), an online system to create and maintain the complete health database of Indian pilgrims along with doctors’ prescriptions, medical treatment as well as medicine disbursal, has been developed to deal with any emergency in Mecca and Madina, Naqvi said.
“Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) have also been connected with 100 per cent digital system which has ensured transparency in their functioning and has also ensured better facilities to Indian Haj pilgrims,” Naqvi said.
“A portal of HGOs http://haj.nic. in/pto/ (Portal for Haj Group Organisers) has been developed which contains all the details of HGOs and their packages,” the minister said.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken effective and successful steps during the last four years to make Haj and other programmes completely digital or online as a part of Digital India campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naqvi said.
Making the entire Haj 2020 process digital has helped in providing better facilities to people going for Haj and ensured transparency by eliminating middlemen, he said.
The minister said the Indian government – in coordination with the Saudi Arabian government, the Indian Consulate and various concerned agencies in Saudi Arabia – was working to ensure safety, better services and medical facilities for the pilgrims during the Haj.
In 2020, a total 2 lakh Indian Muslims will perform Haj that too without any subsidy, he said.
Naqvi said that till November 30, 1.76-lakh haj applications, including 15,000 online applications from Jammu and Kashmir, had been received.
The last date of submission of Haj application is December 5, 2019.
The Saudi Arabian government has always played an active and effective role to ensure safety and better facilities to Indian Haj pilgrims, Naqvi said, adding that it is a part of strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries.
India-Saudi Arabia relations have achieved newer heights under the leadership and guidance of gulf nation’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prime Minister Modi, Naqvi said.
Both the countries share strong cultural, historical, economic and political relations, he said.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s visit to India and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2019 have further strengthened relations between the two countries, the minister said.
Naqvi thanked King Salman for his guidance and active support to make Haj 2019 successful.
Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ausaf Sayeed, Additional Secretary Ministry of Minority Affairs Jan-e-Alam, Consul General Mohd Noor Rehman Sheikh, Haj Committee of India Chairman Nabi Jinna Sheikh, Haj Committee of India CEO M A Khan and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by PTI / December 01st, 2019
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that a record number of two lakh Indian Muslims will go to Haj this year without any subsidy.
Mr Naqvi said this while inaugurating a two-day ‘orientation-cum-training programme’ for Haj 2019 deputationists in New Delhi yesterday. He said, nearly 48 per cent of the pilgrims are women.
The Minister said, even after removal of Haj subsidy, there is no unnecessary financial burden on the Haj pilgrims. He said the Central Government has taken effective steps to ensure safety and better facilities of the pilgrims.
Mr Naqvi emphasised that no negligence will be tolerated in this regard. He added that a total of 620 Haj coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants, Doctors and Paramedics have been deployed in Saudi Arabia to assist the pilgrims.
The Minister also informed that the number of women Haj pilgrims going without Mehram this year is double in comparison to last year. A total of 2,340 Muslim women from India will go for Haj without Mehram this year while 1180 women had performed Haj last year without Mehram.
source: http://www.thenorthlines.com / The NorthLines / Home> Latest News / June 26th, 2019
The National Unani awards were presented on the first day of the two day conference
The National Conference on Unani Medicine kicked off on Monday with much fanfare in the presence of a galaxy of dignitaries.
“Unani Medicine can offer the right solution for many health challenges we are facing due to lack of treatment of many diseases and paucity of resources”, said Dr. Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur, inaugurating the two-day conference organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM). It is a part of the 3rd Unani Day celebrations. Dr. Heptulla urged the Unani fraternity to progress and evolve with the changing times, adapt to new techniques of health research and contribute new approaches to health management. She said that Manipur has the treasure of over 500 medicinal plants and invited scientists to visit the state for research.
Addressing the conference themed on ‘Unani Medicine for Public Health’, Minister of State (IC) for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik enlightened the audience on concrete steps taken by the Ministry of AYUSH to promote Unani Medicine.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards were conferred on Prof. Naeem Ahmad Khan, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and Prof. M A Jafri, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi for Best Academician and Best Researcher in Unani Medicine respectively
“Our efforts are focused to tap the real potential of AYUSH systems in imparting preventive, promotive and holistic healthcare to the people,” he said. Paying tributes to Hakim Ajmal Khan, whose birth anniversary is celebrated as Unani Day on 11thFebruary every year, he described him as a versatile genius.
Highlighting the strengths of Unani Medicine and other AYUSH systems in his address, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the AYUSH systems are golden key to health and wellbeing. India is the strongest hub of Traditional Medicine which is one of the reasons medical tourism is flourishing in the country. He stressed on Integration of Unani Medicine in Mainstream Healthcare in line with the government policies and initiatives for mainstreaming of AYUSH in national healthcare.
On this occasion, AYUSH Awards for Unani Medicine were conferred on various Unani scientists and experts in recognition of their contributions for research, teaching and practice of Unani Medicine.
The Best Research Paper Awards were presented to Dr. Arshiya Sultana, Associate Professor, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bangalore for Clinical Research and Dr. Noman Anwar, Research Officer (Unani), Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai for Drug Research in Unani Medicine. The Young Scientist Awards were conferred on Dr. Jamal Akhtar, Research Officer (Unani) Scientist – III, CCRUM for Clinical Research and Dr. Nasreen Jahan, Associate Professor, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bangalore for Drug Research in Unani Medicine.
The Best Teacher Awards were presented to Prof. Tanzeel Ahmad, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for Clinical Research, Prof. Mohd Aslam, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi for Drug Research and Prof. Khalid Zaman Khan, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for Literary Research in Unani Medicine. The Lifetime Achievement Awards were conferred on Prof. Naeem Ahmad Khan, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and Prof. M A Jafri, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi for Best Academician and Best Researcher in Unani Medicine respectively.
source: http://www.medibulletin.com / MediBulletin / Home> Alt Medicene / by MediBulletin Bureau / February 11th, 2019
Buoyed by 51 Muslim candidates clearing the civil services examination this year, the Haj Committee of India has decided to provide free coaching across states and union territories from next year.
UPSC civil services aspirants are being provided free coaching at the committee’s Mumbai-based headquarters for the last seven years. Two of the students who studied there were selected for the prestigious service this year.
The Haj Committee of India had recently sent a proposal to the Minority Affairs Ministry about providing coaching for the civil services in Haj Houses in all states and union territories. The ministry has accepted the proposal.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told Bhasha, “Two students who took coaching at the Haj Committee of India-run classes, cracked the UPSC exams. Next year onwards the government will start free coaching in Haj Bhavans in states and union territories.”
“We had requested the ministry (of minority affairs) to start free coaching service in Haj Bhavans in different states. We are happy that the minority affairs minister has approved the proposal. We want to start the (coaching) service from next year. We will implement this with the state Haj boards,” Chief Executive Officer of Haj Committee of India, Maqsood Ahmed Khan, said.
For the last seven years, 40 students are provided free coaching at the Haj Committee of India’s headquarters in Mumbai every year, he said.
Of the 980 candidates selected for civil services this year, 51 are Muslims.
Syed Zafar Mahmood, the chief of Zakat Foundation of India, which helps aspirants from economically weak Muslim families to prepare for the exam, said, “In 2017, around five lakh candidates appeared for the civil services preliminary examination and hardly 2 per cent of them were Muslims.”
“If the participation of Muslim students grows in the civil services examination then the number (of selected candidates) can go up from 51 to 100 as well,” he said.
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Magazine / New Delhi – May 06th, 2018
To clean and manage the 13th-century shrine, a Swachh Iconic Place, ₹5.68 crore to be spent
The historical dargah of Sufi mystic Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer is all set to get a facelift as a memorandum of understanding has been signed by the Dargah Committee, the Ajmer Municipal Corporation and Hindustan Zinc for spending ₹5.68 crore to clean and manage the shrine.
The 13th-century dargah has been included among the Swachh Iconic Places, a clean-up initiative focused on iconic heritage, spiritual and cultural places through a multi-stakeholder approach model. The campaign was initiated under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2016.
Select 100 SIPs across the country will be cleaned and developed at a higher level of sanitation and facility management in collaboration with corporates and leading public sector units as part of the initiative.
In Ajmer, the Collector will act as the project’s nodal agency with the Dargah Committee and ‘khadims’ (workers) being the primary stakeholders. An amount of ₹5.68 crore will be invested in the project’s first phase for establishment of two flower compost making machines, cleaning and basic repair of the Jhalra pond, re-flooring in select areas, procurement of machines for cleaning the floors, risk management system plan, conservation of Shahjahani Gate and initial plans for Nizam Gate.
More amenities
The MoU was signed in Ajmer on Saturday in the presence of Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Mr. Naqvi said the project would help in the dargah’s upkeep and provide more facilities to the pilgrims coming during the Urs and in other seasons.
Two flower compost machines have already been installed in Kayad at a cost of ₹27 lakh for churning out about 25 kg of compost from 100 kg of flowers offered at the dargah. A vision document for the shrine has been prepared by a team of architects and building plan and design consultants.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Other States / by Special Correspondent / Jaipur – September 04th, 2018
The foundation for the first of the five proposed “world class” educational institutes for minorities is set to be laid early next month, Union Minority Affairs Minister MukhtarAbbas Naqvisaid on Thursday.
Naqvi said that 16-acres land has been acquired in the Mewat district of Haryana at a “scenic locale” and its foundation would be laid in the first week of September.
“Mewat, being the most backward district, needs such an institute more than any other place in the country. We hope the institute would be ready and running by 2021,” Naqvi said.
He said the institute would have a provision of education from primary up to the diploma and degree levels besides centres for skill development.
It will also have a coaching centre for competitive exams besides hostels with modern facilities, he added.
“It will be an education, skill and a knowledge hub,” he said.
The Minister clarified that the institute would be open for all communities.
The Maulana Azad Education Foundation would be the governing body of the institute but it would be run by “reputed private and government organisations”.
“We are in talks with a few Indian and foreign organistations which have shown interest in running this institute on the PPP (public-private-partnership) mode,” Naqvi said.
–IANS
mak/prs
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Zurriyat Hussain Kazmi, 116, one of the oldest citizens of the country, died on Sunday night.
After his condition deteriorated, Kazmi was rushed to a private hospital in Rampur Garden locality. He was, however, declared dead upon arrival by doctors.
Kazmi, maternal grandfather of Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, was fond of Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Born on January 1, 1902, Kazmi would say the secret of his long life was 10 kilometres of daily walk.
“He was not suffering from any illness. He died due to his long age,” said Azadar Hussain Kazmi, his youngest son and caretaker.
“My grandfather was a zamindar and had 2,000 bighas at Kulbhara village in Moradabad .
After my father joined British police in 1922, it disappointed my grandfather that his son was doing a job for Rs 10. Working under someone was not considered good then. My father later worked for Indian police. He met Mahatma Gandhi at Chowki Chauraha when the latter visited Bareilly during the struggle for independence,” said Azadar.
“Despite his long age, my father would cast his vote in every election. He believed that voting is an important right. He was fond of Mulayam and later became a fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ,” said Azadar.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Bareilly News / TNN / June 19th, 2018
In 2014, the Congress-led government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the construction of an Urdu Bhavan at Mumbai University’s Kalina campus to promote the language
The state govt’s proposal to set up a centre for the language outside of the university, where it even has an allocated space, has language lovers crying foul
In 2014, the Congress-led government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the construction of an Urdu Bhavan at Mumbai University’s Kalina campus to promote the language. Land was allocated and bhoomi poojan was performed. However, the project never saw the light of day.
Cut to present: The state government has proposed building the Urdu Bhavan in Byculla,. “The bhavan will come up on a 10,000 sqft area near the Agripada police station. And, if we get a larger FSI, we will be able to construct a four-storeyed structure with state-of-the-art facilities. We have asked the Centre to provide us with R50 crore for this,” says advocate Waris Pathan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator from Byculla, who has been at the forefront of getting approvals for this project. As per the proposal, the bhavan will have a library, convention centre, a girls’ hostel and will offer a range of new courses. “The Urdu readership in Byculla is high so it will see a lot of traction,” says Pathan
‘It’s not a Muslim language’
Yet, the news of the bhavan coming up at Byculla has lovers of the language divided. Members of Jai Ho Foundation, a charity organisation in Kurla, have written a letter to the Union Minority Affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, CM Devendra Fadnavis, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, education minister Vinod Tawde and MU VC Suhas Pednekar, requesting them to reconsider the location. “We want the centre to be built inside the varsity because that will make it more accessible to students. By constructing it in a Byculla bylane, they are propagating the misguided notion that it’s a Muslim language,” says Jai Ho’s president Afroz Malik. Presently, the MU has a bhasha (language) bhavan dedicated to Marathi and Sanskrit.
There have been talks about building a Hindi bhasha bhavan as well. Malik says Kalina is a strategic location which makes it convenient for people commuting from both the suburbs as well as from South Mumbai. Moreover, setting it up in a healthy academic atmosphere will only help promote the language, he adds. “MU has people enrolling from all walks of life. It also has students from overseas. Urdu will get more exposure,” he states.
A matter of space
Meanwhile, the land allocated to the Urdu Bhavan at Kalina remains vacant. This is in stark contrast to the buzzing Urdu department, which has seen a sharp growth in the number of students as well as non-teaching staff. “The increasing curiosity around the language has translated into more people signing up for courses. The MA course sees more enrolments,” Dr Sahab Ali, head of Urdu department, says. Presently, the department has an overall strength of 200 students. While Dr Ali is happy to learn of a bhavan coming up in Byculla, he says it’s not enough. “I would want the centre to be built here because we are running out of space to accommodate students,” he says. The Urdu department at MU was established in 1982.
In 2013, Dr Ali had written to the Department of Minorities Affairs requesting the need for a bhasha bhavan to cater to the growing needs of the language. The request received the green light in 2014. The change in ruling parties resulted in the project languishing for years.
Farid Khan, convenor of Urdu Caravan, an NGO that promotes Urdu language and culture, says he sees merit in NGO Jai Ho’s stand. “I believe a language will thrive in an academic setting.”
source: http://www.mid-day.com / mid-day.com / Home> News> National News / by Anju Maskeri / May13th, 2018
