JEDDAH: Haj for the domestic pilgrims will be less costly this year, according to Ibrahim Al-Jabri, director of the Department for Domestic Pilgrims at the Ministry of Haj.

Al-Jabri told Arab News that about 250 Haj establishments and companies would provide their services to the domestic pilgrims.

“For the first time this season, the department will be implementing a cost-effective Haj program for Saudi and expatriates wishing to perform the pilgrimage, which is the fifth pillar of faith,” he said.

Al-Jabri did not specify the cost but said the program will be especially suitable to low-income people and added that the names of the Haj companies giving the inexpensive services would be announced soon.

About 1.5 million people within the Kingdom perform Haj annually. They will have to pay between SR1,000 and SR8,000 to the Haj companies for various services, including accommodation, food and transport.

There were numerous complaints in the past about Haj service providers fleecing domestic pilgrims. This was also blamed for many low-income people opting to perform Haj on their own.

Meanwhile, Prince Bandar bin Abdullah Al-Mashari, director of the National Data Center (NDC) at the Interior Ministry, said training programs and workshops about pilgrimage for the personnel of the ministry have started at the Information Technology Institute and its various branches in the Kingdom.

He said the ministry’s staff will be trained on various computer skills, including issuing Haj permits automatically to citizens and expatriates and making statistical reports. The center cooperates will all those involved in Haj operations catering to the technical needs and supplying them with computers.

On the other hand, Haj Minister Fouad Al-Farsy has asked all Haj companies to specify parts of their tents for medical purposes and to provide camps with medical doctors.