Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday inaugurated the Odisha's first Haj House here and greeted all the pilgrims going for Haj.
The Haj House built at a cost of Rs 2.39 crore in Pokhariput area of the state capital, will provide short stay facilities to pilgrims of the minority community, officials said.
Patnaik had laid foundation stone of the Haj House in 2017, an official said.
As many as 653 Haj pilgrims, comprising 386 males and 267 females, will go to Saudi Arabia (Mecca, Medina) through State Haj Committee, an official release said.
Three state government employees will help and guide the pilgrims throughout their journey, it said.
On Wednesday, each Haj pilgrim got a Haj guide in Odia and a Haj kit (a trolley bag and a backpack), for free, from the state government, an official said.
The Haj pilgrims from Odisha will proceed to Saudi Arabia from Kolkata embarkation point between July 25 and August 5, the official said.
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