The government will decide steps to be taken by it on the Supreme Court order to end Haj subsidy after receiving the judgement of the apex court on the issue. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said this in New Delhi while talking to reporters on the sidelines of an All Indian Haj Committee function. He was asked if the Government was planning to file an appeal

against the apex court order.Mr.Krishna said the Apex court has given an interim order and the government is awaiting the final order of the Supreme Court.

Mr.Krishna said the government had decided to come out with its Haj policy for 2012 in January or February itself but it was delayed due to a pending case in the Supreme Court.

Terming the conduct of Haj operations as one of the most complex tasks undertaken by India, the minister said this year's Haj policy has been framed in close consultations with tour operators, Haj Committee and legal experts and a transparent procedure has been adopted by the government.
The minister said, from this year, Haj applications will have to be accompanied by proof of valid passports.

AIR correspondent reports,in its verdict on May 8th, the Supreme Court had directed the government to phase out Haj subsidy within a period of 10 years, saying that this amount can be more profitably used for social and educational development of the Muslim community.

A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai had quoted Quran to justify doing away with the subsidy, which was around 685 crores rupees in 2011, noting that many Muslims would not be very comfortable to know that their Haj is funded to a large extent by the government.
A number of prominent Muslim leaders had welcomed the court's order, saying that the subsidy was not exactly
benefitting the community and the funds given in subsidy should be allocated for improving the educational and living
standards.