Tuesday, August 16 2005 14:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: There is no proposal before the Government to provide subsidy in train or airfares to Amarnath pilgrims, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said in Lok Sabha today (Aug 16, 2005).

Cautioning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members not to draw a parallel between Amarnath and Haj pilgrimages, which could adversely affect communal amity, Patil said during Question Hour that subsidy was provided in the latter case as the pilgrims had to travel abroad.

However, the Centre provided funds worth crores of rupees to concerned State Governments for organising such pilgrimages including Kumbh Melas and the one at Nashik, he said, adding there was no proposal at present to provide identity cards to Amarnath pilgrims.

Maintaining that there had been no terrorist attacks on Amarnath pilgrims in 2003, 2004 and till August 11 this year, Patil said the last incident occurred in 2002 at Nunwan in Pahalgam in which nine persons were killed and 21 injured.

He said the Amarnath Shrine Board had entered into an agreement with ICICI-Lombard General Insurance Company for covering accidental death for a sum of Rs one lakh for each pilgrim.