'Jerusalem House' for Christian pilgrims in Andhra

The Andhra Pradesh Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohd Ahmadulla Syed has promised Christians a 'Jerusalem House' identical to the already existing Haj House for Muslims.

The initiative, one of several measures suggested for the welfare of Christians, is to facilitate the travel of Christians to Israel.

Syed had divulged the initiative while addressing a 50-member Christian delegation that left on a pilgrimage tour to Jerusalem last week. The round trip is sponsored by the Andhra Pradesh Government which has apparently kept aside Rs two crore in the budget for 2008-09.

The Minister praised the Andhra government for being the first in India to have provided several facilities for the benefits of minority community members. The state government, he said had earlier sponsored two trips to Jerusalem and will continue doing the same.

Briefing on the Jerusalem House, he said, it will be created on a 2,500 square yards of land and the construction would begin after the Hyderabad District Collector approved the land for the minority Corporation.

Apparently, the state government has already assigned Rs 50 lakh for the building.

Jerusalem House will act as an embarkation point for pilgrims and will also make arrangements for their lodging, immigration and other passenger amenities.

Those part of the pilgrimage tour will visit sites associated with the life of Jesus Christ in Israel. Each pilgrim will have to pay Rs. 36,000 of the total cost of Rs. 56,000 that covers all Jordan and Israel for seven days. This includes food, accommodation and transport.