The first Ministerial meeting of the National Task Force for the celebrations of the religious festivals of Shab-E-Barat, Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2024, was chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, yesterday, at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Memorial Hall, in Port Louis.
Senior Ministers, Members of the National Assembly, representatives from Local Authorities, Ministries/Departments and Muslim Socio-Cultural Associations, the Central Electricity Board, the Central Water Authority, as well as other authorities also attended the meeting.
In a statement, the Prime Minister underlined that the objective of the meeting is to take stock of progress of preparations being made at the level of different Ministries, Departments, and Local Authorities.
PM Jugnauth underscored that the meeting is organised well in advanced so that the authorities can have ample time to consider the requests, concerns and ideas and implement them accordingly. He expressed satisfaction that the first Ministerial meeting went very well and indicated that the preparations for Shab-E-Barat, Ramadan, Eid Festival were duly reviewed.
Besides the National Task Force, local authorities and Regional Task Force have been put in place to deal more responsively to issues put forth, bring improvements, and consider new projects and proposals of the different socio-cultural associations, underpinned the Prime Minister.
Mr Jugnauth further highlighted that an official structure of the National Task Force for religious festivals will be formalised by way of publication of a General Notice in the Government Gazette to ensure that religious festivals celebrated at national level be held in the best possible conditions. The structure will help to take better informed decisions and take up arising matters from socio-cultural associations and address them in the most effective and timely manner, he pointed out.
Shab E-Barat will be celebrated on 25 February 2024. It is a holiday observed on the 14th night of Sha’aban, the eighth month in the Islamic calendar. As for Ramadan, the Holy Month of fasting, it is expected to start on 10 March 2024 depending on the visibility of the moon and the Eid al-Fitr Festival (the Feast of Fast-Breaking), to be celebrated on 10 April 2024.
