People who visit Haj pilgrimage will not get any concession from this year. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced on Tuesday that the concession given on Haj pilgrimage has ended this year. It has been said by the government that this decision is a part of the agenda of empowering minorities without appealing. The Government’s decision will affect 1.75 lakh Haj pilgrims.
It is worth noting that in 2012, the Supreme Court had asked to end the Haj subsidy in a decision to end up gradually by 2022. After this, the policy of withdrawal of Haj subsidy was prepared. After the expenditure increased, the government will now give the option of the sea route to the passengers along with the air route.
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that Haj subsidy funds will be spent on providing education to Muslim girls and women. He said that the advantage of the subsidy was raising the agents so the Haj subsidy has been stopped. Different arrangements will be made for poor Muslims.
Significantly, the government wants to make transparency process for the contractors who make Haj pilgrims from this decision. It is being told that in the history of 2018, the maximum number of pilgrims in Haj pilgrimage is going to visit. Actually, Saudi Arabia has recently increased the quotas by 5 thousand for Indian travelers. Now a total of 1.75 lakh Indian citizens can visit Hajj.
The special thing is that about 1300 women from India will visit Hajj this time without Mehrham (the family man who is not possible to marry). In this case, Riyadh has allowed a group of at least 4 women over 45 years of age to travel without any partner, while easing their rules in this matter.
