Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi chaired a review meeting organised in New Delhi today on the completion of Haj 2019 and to take stock of preparations for next Haj. Announcing Haj 2020 here today,Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that applicants can applyonline for Haj 2020 from 10th October to 10th November, 2019.
The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi chairing the Haj preparations meeting for Haj 2020, in New Delhi on October 04, 2019. The Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Shri Sailesh is also seen
Shri Naqvi said that the Haj 2020 will be 100 per cent online/digital. System has been developed to provide E-Visa to all Haj pilgrims. Applications for Haj can also be done through mobile app.
Minority Affairs Ministry Secretary Shri Shailesh, Additional Secretary Shri S.K. Dev Barman, Joint Secretary- Haj Shri Jaan-e-Alam, India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Shri Ausuf Sayeed, Haj Committee of India Chairman Shri Sheikh Jinna Nabi, Haj Committee CEO Shri MAKhan, CJI Jeddah Noor Rehman Sheikh, senior officials from Minority Affairs Ministry, External Affairs Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry, Health Ministry attended today’s review meeting.
Shri Naqvi said that early announcement of Haj process will ensure better management regarding Haj in India and Saudi Arabia.Shri Naqvi said that Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) can apply on portal from 01st November to 01st December, 2019.Shri Naqvi said that while there were 21 Haj embarkation points across the country during Haj 2019; one new embarkation point will be opened for next Haj- Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). So, in Haj 2020, Indian Muslims will go for Haj from 22 embarkation points across the country.
Shri Naqvi said that Haj 2019 was historic and most successful in comparison to the last several years. For the first time in the history of the country, a record number of 2 lakh Indian Muslims performed Haj this year, that too without any subsidy.
Shri Naqvi said that there was a significant decrease in airfares from maximum embarkation points. Besides, GST on Haj pilgrimage was reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent this year, which ensured that more than Rs 113 crore were saved by Haj pilgrims during 2019 Haj. Accommodation in Madina had also been taken on 100 Saudi Riyal less in comparison to the last year which resulted into Indian Haj pilgrims saving about Rs 3000 per pilgrim.
Shri Naqvi said that a record number of 2 lakh Indian Muslims went to Haj this year through more than 500 flights from 21 embarkation points across the country. These pilgrims included about 48 per cent Muslim women. A total of 2,340 Muslim women from India also performed Haj this year without ‘Mehram’ or a male companion this year. Smt Attar Bibi (age 100 years) from Punjab was the oldest female Haj pilgrim this year while Shri Sadre Alam (age 98 years) from Bihar was the oldest male Haj pilgrim. For Haj 2020 also, all women who will apply without “Mehram” will be exempted from the lottery system.
Shri Naqvi said that while 1 lakh 40 thousand Haj pilgrims went through Haj Committee of India, 60 thousand Haj pilgrims performed Haj through Haj Group Organisers (HGOs). For the first time, all the HGOs took 10 thousand Haj pilgrims on the rates decided by Haj Committee of India only.
The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi chairing the Haj preparations meeting for Haj 2020, in New Delhi on October 04, 2019. The Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Shri Sailesh is also seen
Shri Naqvi said that more than 2 lakhs 67 thousand applications had been received for Haj 2019 which included about 1 lakh 65 thousand online applications. For Haj 2020, online applications will be further encouraged. Haj Committee will also organise awareness programmes in this regard.
Shri Naqvi said that Saudi Arabia’s decision to increase India’s Haj quota to 2 lakh ensured that for the first time since Independence, all the Haj applicants from all big states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar performed Haj 2019 as their waiting lists had been cleared due to increase in Haj quota.
Due to the significant increase in India’s Haj quota, all the applicants from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Goa, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Tripura performed Haj 2019.
Shri Naqvi said that to ensure transparency and convenience to the Haj pilgrims, for the first time, a portal of HGOs—http://haj.nic.in/pto/ (Portal for Haj Group Organisers) was developed containing all the details of HGOs, their packages etc.
Shri Naqvi said that a total of 13,750 (Haj committee of India, HCI, 8104 + 5646 Haj Group Organisers, HGOs) Haj pilgrims proceeded to Haj 2019 from Ahmedabad embarkation point. Haj pilgrims went from Aurangabad (1120); Bengaluru 9035 (Haj Committee of India 6145 + 2888 HGOs); Bhopal (296); Calicut 19,159 (HCI- 11059 + 8092 HGOs)); Chennai 8611 (HCI-4627 + 3985 HGOs); Cochin 9510 (HCI-2750 + 6760 HGOs); Delhi 28,021 (HCI-22552 + 5469); Gaya (3289); Goa (260); Guwahati (2773); Hyderabad 12,288 (HCI- 8177 + 4111); Jaipur 6779 (HCI- 6752 + 27 HGOs); Kolkata 12,254 (HCI- 11590 + 664 HGOs); Lucknow 14,812 (HCI- 13,935 + 877 HGOs); Mangalore 981 (HCI-757 + 224 HGOs); Mumbai 37,352 (HCI- 17,482 + 19,870 HGOs); Nagpur 3679 (HCI- 3278 + 401 HGOs); Ranchi 1458 (HCI- 1422 + 36 HGOs); Srinagar 11,612 (HCI- 10,889 + 723 HGOs), Varanasi (2603).
Shri Naqvi said that for Haj 2020, a 100-line information centre has been established at Haj House, Mumbai for providing information regarding entire Haj process.
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