Despite a steep rise in the Haj expenses, the Union cabinet has decided against any hike in the Haj fare for the pilgrims. The UPA government will give more subsidies but retain the fare for the Haj pilgrims at Rs 12,000. It has also decided today that Indore of Madhya Pradesh will be another embarkation point for the Haj pilgrims.
The subsidy bill for the government will be higher as it has decided to accommodate more pilgrims in the subsidised travel category. Last year, India had sent 1.57 lakh Muslims to attend their holiest event.
Out of these, 1.10 lakh pilgrims were routed through the government's Haj Committee and the rest went with the help of private travel agents. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi today announced that this year, 1,23,211 pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia during Haj on subsidised fare.
Recently, the royal Saudi government, headed by King Abdullah, had agreed to allow more Indian Haj pilgrims after the External Affairs Ministry's repeatedly requested to increase its quota.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Deputy E Ahmed had impressed upon the Saudis that every year the Indian government receives more than 2 lakh applications and it is very difficult to cancel almost 25 per cent of them. Mukherjee had also pointed out that India is the second largest Muslim population in the World and so the quota for India should be increased.
