Srinagar, Aug 30: In a significant development, J&K Bank has entered into an agreement with Al Khuddam Travels Ltd to make Hajj and Umrah services available to people in remote areas of the state. Under the agreement the J&K Bank shall provide booking services through Khidmat Centres.
 Khurshid Pandit, Incharge CSC & UID projects signed the MoU on behalf of J&K Bank while Feroz Ahmad, MD Al Khuddam Travels Ltd, a Valley-based Hajj/Umrah operating company, put in his signatures in presence of G M Sahibzada, President, J&K Bank, the bank in a statement said.
 Speaking on the occasion Sahibzada described the pact as Bank’s endeavour to facilitate services of Hajj and Umrah to the people through it large network of Khidmat Centres across J&K.
 “The rates offered at Khidmat Centres will be at par with the Srinagar based Al Khuddam offices. As such, people will be able to book the packages at their doorsteps without any extra charges,” Sahibzada said.
 Pandit expressed hope that the arrangement, apart from benefiting the aspiring pilgrims, will also encourage and empower young entrepreneurs running the Khidmat Centres. Notably, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed J&K Bank as the Service Centre Agency (SCA) for implementation of Common Service Centre scheme in J&K. The Bank is mandated to design, build, operate and manage as many as 1109 Common Services Centres (CSCs) in J&K as part of National e-governance Plan (NeGP).
 Describing J&K Bank as a natural choice for such tie ups, Feroz said, “The idea is to use the state-wide network of JKB Khidmat Centres to reach out to the people with our highly affordable and customized Hajj & Umrah packages.”
 “Initially Umrah Feb 2012 bookings would be available at all Khidmat Centres of the state,” he added. 

Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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