JEDDAH, 17 January 2005 — Adequate arrangements have been made to provide best available facilities to Indian pilgrims during this year’s Haj, said India’s Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Azad, who is leading a 36-member Haj goodwill delegation from India, arrived here yesterday. Speaking about India’s Haj arrangement this year, Azad lauded the efforts of Indian officials.
“The welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims have always been a matter of concern to the government,” he said.
The government wants maximum number of people to take this journey at least once in a lifetime and to facilitate their pilgrimage, the present government has removed some restrictions imposed on availing Haj subsidies by the previous government, he said. “The subsidy on air ticket is being given again to pilgrims and everybody can avail this benefit,” Azad said.
The previous government had put conditions for availing Haj subsidy. Income tax payers and others who had already performed Haj once, were not entitled to subsidy. However, the Congress government has removed all such conditions.
Indians arriving for Haj through the country’s Haj Committee enjoy subsidized air tickets, accommodation and medical care.
More than 129,000 Indian pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year. Out of them 82,000 pilgrims will benefit from the arrangements made by the government and Haj Committee. In addition, 47,000 other pilgrims will undertake Haj through private tour operators, Azad said.
Some 20,957 pilgrims landed directly at Madinah this year instead of Jeddah, the minister said. This was an “important milestone in Haj logistics” that will lower expenditure and make the pilgrimage more convenient. The number of embarkation points for the pilgrims in India had also been increased to 15 from 12, he said.
