India today announced a 20 per cent cut in Haj quota, the entire burden of which will be borne by private tour operators who will witness their share going down to a mere 9,995 from 45,000.
The India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Agreement on Haj 2013 was signed on March 16 in Jeddah under which the Haj 2013 quota for India was 170,025 seats comprising 125,025 seats for pilgrims facilitated by Haj Committee of India (HCOI), Mumbai and 45,000 for pilgrims through private tour operators (PTOs).
In June, Ministry of External Affairs was informed that Saudi authorities had imposed a 50 per cent reduction in the Hajj 2013 quota on local (Saudi) applicants and 20 per cent on all foreign Haj pilgrims to facilitate the infrastructure work being carried out around the "Haram Sharif" and to keep the area safe and secure for the pilgrims.
"Keeping in view the above, it has been decided to effect the 20 per cent reduction (34,005 seats) for Hajj 2013 by the Saudi government out of the existing quota (45,000) of private tour operators.
"Cancellations by HCOI pilgrims till date will be transferred to the eligible Hajj 2013 PTOs, to the extent possible," the Ministry said in a statement.
It added that most Haj HCOI pilgrims (123,511) are first timers since, from this year, Haj through HCOI is restricted to "only once in a life time" as against the earlier "once in 5 years". The eligible Hajj 2013 PTOs, however, are yet to be announced.
