Three ministers resign ahead of Cabinet rejig

Agencies

September 1, 2017

New Delhi, Sept 1: Three Union ministers submitted their resignations on Thursday ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle.

Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra and Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Balyan submitted their resignations.

A source said BJP president Amit Shah had called five more ministers, including Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, and told them that the prime minister wanted them to resign. The source said that the Cabinet reshuffle may take place either on Saturday or Sunday before Modi leaves for Beijing to attend the BRICS summit.

The prime minister will visit Myanmar for two days beginning September 5. Also, President Ram Nath Kovind will not be in the national capital on Friday.

If reshuffle does not happen in this window, then it may take place after Navaratri, which begins on September 21. The days between September 5 and September 21 is considered inauspicious.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had dropped hints that he won’t be defence minister for long as a reshuffle was on the cards.

When asked to comment about the reshuffle, Jaitley said, “At least I hope not very long” to continue as defence minister.

Modi had held several rounds of consultations with Shah and other top leaders as the Cabinet rejig is also being seen as a performance audit.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development Mahendranath Pandey has offered to resign following the party’s decision to make him the Uttar Pradesh BJP president.

Apart from Jaitley, other ministers who are holding additional charges may have to offload the burden as this is expected to be the large major exercise before Modi seeks a fresh mandate in 2019.

The reshuffle is expected to bring in fresh faces to infuse new energy into the government. The reshuffle will also take into account the BJP’s focus in the poll-bound states of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

Modi will also draft leaders from the JD(U) into his team after the party returned to the NDA fold. The BJP’s Maharashtra ally, the Shiv Sena, is likely to get another berth.

But as per Article 72 of the Constitution, it can go up to 82 since it says that the council of ministers shall not exceed 15% of the number of members in the Lok Sabha.

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Tech-enabled Haj 2026: India to equip all pilgrims with smart wristbands

News Network

December 2,2025

A major upgrade in safety and monitoring is planned for Haj 2026, with every Indian pilgrim set to receive a Haj Suvidha smart wristband linked to the official Haj Suvidha mobile app. The initiative aims to support pilgrims—especially senior citizens—who may struggle with smartphones during the 45-day journey.

What the Smart Wristband Will Do

Officials said the device will come with:
•   Location tracking
•   Pedometer
•   SOS emergency button
•   Qibla compass
•   Prayer timings
•   Basic health monitoring

SP Tiwari, secretary of the UP State Haj Committee, said the goal is to make the pilgrimage safer and more comfortable.

“Most Hajis are elderly and not comfortable with mobile apps,” he said. “The smartwatch will help locate pilgrims who forget their way or cannot communicate their location.”

The wristbands will be monitored by the Consulate General of India in Saudi Arabia, similar to mobile tracking via the Haj Suvidha App.

Free Distribution and Training

•   Smart wristbands will be given free of cost.
•   Training for pilgrims will be conducted between January and February 2026.
•   Sample units will reach state Haj committees soon.
•   Final devices will be distributed as pilgrims begin their journey.

New Rules for Accommodation

Two major decisions have also been finalised for Haj 2026:
1. Separate rooms for men and women – including married couples. They may stay on the same floor but must occupy different rooms, following stricter Saudi guidelines.
2. Cooking banned – gas cylinders will not be allowed; all meals will be provided through official catering services arranged by the Haj Committee of India.

These decisions were finalised during a meeting of the Haj Committee of India and state representatives in Mumbai.

Haj Suvidha App Launched Earlier

The government launched the Haj Suvidha App in 2024, offering:

•   Training modules
•   Accommodation and flight details
•   Baggage information
•   SOS and translation tools
•   Grievance redressal

Haj 2026 Quota and Key States

•   India’s total Haj quota for 2026: 1,75,025 pilgrims
•   70% (1,25,000) allotted to the Haj Committee of India
•   30% (around 50,000) reserved for Haj Group Organisers

Uttar Pradesh has the largest allocation (around 30,000 seats), though approximately 18,000 pilgrims are expected to go this year. States with high pilgrim numbers include Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Dates of Haj 2026

The pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from 24 May to 29 May, 2026 (tentative).
Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for Muslims who meet the required conditions.

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