Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that for the first time after the Independence, a record number of Muslims from the country will go to Haj this year and that too without any subsidy.
He said that the government led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has succeeded in getting India’s Haj quota increased for the second consecutive year and now, for the first time after the Independence, record 1,75,025 pilgrims from India will go to Haj 2018. A total of 3,55,604 applications had been received for Haj which included 1,89,217 male and 1,66,387 female applicants.
This year, a total of 1,28,002 pilgrims will go through Haj Committee of India which include about 47 per cent females. 47,023 Haj pilgrims will go through Private Tour Operators. Besides, for the first time Muslim women from India will also go to Haj without “Mehram” (male companion). A total of 1308 women have applied to go for Haj without “Mehram” and all of these women have been exempted from lottery system and allowed to proceed to Haj.
In 2017, a total of Rs 1030 crore was paid to airlines for air fare for 1,24,852 Haj pilgrims. Whereas, in 2018, a total of Rs 973 crore will be paid to airlines for 1,28,002 Haj pilgrims. It means, Rs 57 crore less will be paid to airlines this year even after ending the Haj subsidy.
The Minister also said that Saudi Arabia has given green signal for India’s decision to reviving the option of sending Haj pilgrims through sea route also and officials from both the countries are in discussion on all the necessary formalities and technicalities so that Haj pilgrimage through sea route can be started in the coming years.
Naqvi said that for the first time, choice of embarkation points has been given to Haj pilgrims which has received overwhelming response.
In this training camp, 623 “Khadim-ul-Hujjaj” from all the states participated. Officials from Haj Committee of India, Vrihan Mumbai Mahanagar Palika, Disaster Management agencies and doctors informed them in detail, all the process related to Haj including accommodation, transport, health and safety of Haj pilgrims at Makkah-Madina. For the first time, Female Haj Assistants will be deployed to monitor various facilities for women Haj pilgrims.
