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 without any subsidy.
Naqvi added this year a total of 1,28,002 pilgrims will go through Haj Committee of India which includes about 47 percent females. Speaking at a function in Mumbai, the Minister said, the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has succeeded in getting India’s Haj quota increased for the consecutive second year. The number of Haj pilgrims has increased because of enhanced quota despite a government decision to remove subsidies — of a total 3,55,604 applications, 1,75,025 pilgrims will go to Haj this year. He stressed that the decision to do away with subsidy has not affected the Haj pilgrims.
A total of 1,308 women from the country will, for the first time, perform Haj without the company of a ‘mahram’ or male guardian, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today. “A total of 1,308 women have applied to go for Haj without a ‘mahram’. These women have been exempted from the lottery system and will be allowed to proceed to perform Haj,” Naqvi addressing a training camp organised for Haj Khadim-Ul-Hujjaj at Haj House in Mumbai. He said that for the first time Muslim women from India will also go to Haj without a male companion.
In all, 6,700 pilgrims will go from Ahmedabad, 350 from Aurangabad, 5,550 from Bengaluru, 254 from Bhopal, 11,700 from Cochin, 4,000 from Chennai, 19,000 from Delhi, 5,140 from Gaya, 450 from Goa, 2,950 from Guwahati, 7,600 from Hyderabad, 5,500 from Jaipur, 11,610 from Kolkata, 14,500 from Lucknow, 430 from Mangalore, 14,200 from Mumbai, 2,800 from Nagpur, 2,100 from Ranchi, 8,950 from Srinagar and 3,250 from Varanasi.
The Centre’s directive to airlines not to unreasonably hike fares has helped keep the air fare in check. “In 2017, Rs 1,030 crore was paid to airlines for air fare for 1,24,852 Haj pilgrims. Whereas, in 2018, 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,” he said.
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