AP Grants Haj Assistance: Andhra Pradesh Government Grants One Lakh Assistance to Haj Pilgrims
The Andhra Pradesh Government has released financial assistance of one lakh rupees each to eligible Haj pilgrims who travelled from Vijayawada to reduce their additional travel expenses.
AP Grants Haj Assistance: The Andhra Pradesh Government has extended financial assistance to Haj pilgrims who travelled to Mecca in 2026 through Vijayawada Airport. To reduce the burden of higher airfare, the government credited one lakh rupees directly into the bank accounts of each eligible pilgrim.
This year, a total of 1,987 pilgrims from the state undertook the Haj pilgrimage, including 331 who departed from Vijayawada. Officials noted that passengers travelling from Vijayawada incurred significantly higher airfare compared with those departing from Hyderabad and Bengaluru, with the additional cost estimated at around eighty thousand rupees per person.
Taking note of the increased travel expenses, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved financial assistance of one lakh rupees for each pilgrim who travelled from Vijayawada. The government accordingly released a total of Rs 3.31 crore for 331 beneficiaries.
Minority Affairs Adviser MD Sharif welcomed the decision and said the government had honoured its commitment to the Haj pilgrims. He recalled that similar assistance had also been provided to Vijayawada pilgrims in the previous year and described the latest decision as another example of the government’s commitment to minority welfare.
Sharif also criticised what he described as misleading reports regarding the subsidy payment. He alleged that a brief delay of around fifteen days was used to spread misinformation about the assistance programme. He maintained that the financial support had been delivered as promised and urged people not to believe false claims.
