JEDDAH, 29 November 2005 — Indian Haj pilgrims can look forward to streamlined arrangements in terms of accommodation and medical care, Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farook said during a news conference on Sunday.

“The government has made every effort to provide all facilities to the pilgrims preparing to perform Haj this year,” he said.

For the first time, pilgrims coming through the Haj Committee of India are being provided with a health card which will contain basic health-related information about them, the ambassador said. The total strength of the medical team and others on deputation has been increased to 508. They include 142 doctors, 146 paramedics, 51 assistant Haj officers and 169 Haj assistants. Aside from this, there will be 600 locally recruited staff. Last year, the strength of the medical team and others on deputation was 380.

This year, the medical team will be equipped with 4 new latest X-ray machines for hospitals in Makkah. Other medical instruments include ECG machines, nebulizers and incubators and ENT sets. Medicines worth 11,500,000 rupees have been procured. Seven new ambulances have been purchased to add to the existing fleet of nine, the ambassador said.

The Makkah medical wing will have a 50-bed hospital with 11 dispensaries and a medical task force with a mobile team with another team for the Madinah medical wing. Three Internet cafes will be provided to pilgrims in Makkah. A new spacious building for Haj office has been rented in Makkah which was inaugurated Saturday by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed. Food will not be provided to the pilgrims this year after last year’s unpleasant experience.

With Saudi Arabia increasing the quota of Indian pilgrims coming under the aegis of the Haj Committee, a total of 100,000 pilgrims will benefit from the arrangements being made by the government. The brother and two other family members of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam are coming through the Haj Committee.

Separately, 47,000 pilgrims will undertake the Haj through private tour operators.

Speaking about accommodation arrangements this year, Consul General Ausaf Sayeed said most Indian pilgrims would get accommodation near the Haram Mosque in Makkah. The first flights of Indian Haj pilgrims will arrive in Jeddah and Madinah on Dec. 3. A total of 49,675 pilgrims are being directly flown to Madinah. As many as 339 flights are being operated this time, 200 by Saudi Arabian Airlines and 139 by Air-India, he said.

The youngest pilgrim is coming from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh — 2-year-old Manar Moin Khan and the oldest pilgrim, 110-year-old Miya Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan is coming from Ananatnag in Jammu and Kashmir. The oldest female pilgrim — 106-year-old Zeba Begum — is also from Jammu and Kashmir. A liaison officer will remain with them round the clock, the ambassador said.