The issue of irrational fare from different embarkation points and the growing Haj costs is being looked into, the minister said
Abdul Bari Masoud | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — The government is making all efforts to improve Haj arrangements, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has said.
The minister was speaking at the launch of the improved version of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 at the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees on Saturday.
Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government beyond the Indian borders and the annual pilgrimage has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia. He highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims. Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya District but also in areas close to the Holy Haram. Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region. A robust medical support system is being established, and the ratio of Khadim-ul-Hujjaj has been improved from one Khadim per 200 pilgrims to a Khadim per 150 pilgrims, ensuring more personalised attention, quicker issue resolution, and enhanced support from State Haj Inspectors.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0. Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations. The deliberations were chaired by George Kurian in the presence of Dr Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, and other dignitaries. The suggestions and feedback of the stakeholders would be utilised to ensure a smooth and successful Haj pilgrimage in 2025.
Responding to a question from Clarion India about irrational Haj fare from different embarkation points and growing Haj costs, the Union Minister said the matter is being looked into as several complaints have been received in this regard. It should be mentioned that during Haj 2024 the airfare from the Mumbai embarkation point was Rs 67,000 but it was Rs 97,000 from Aurangabad which is just 350 km away. Similarly, it was 1.67 lakh from Srinagar while from Delhi it was Rs 70,000. Because of this exorbitant fare and cost as many as 700 selected applicants from Jammu and Kashmir withdrew their applications. Furthermore, Jammu and Kashmir has a Haj quota of 7,000 but over 3,500 applied for the pilgrim.
Speaking with Clarion India, Ashfaq Ahmad, CEO of the Jammu and Kashmir State Haj Committee, said spiralling cost of Haj has forced the intended pilgrims to withdraw their names. In the last five years, people have been facing economic difficulties and per capita income has also declined.
In good times, he said, 12,000 people from J&K performed Haj but now half of the quota has remained unfulfilled.
This time the quota for India was fixed at 1.75 lakh. Out of this 1.40 lakh utilised the Haj Committee services and the rest went to Saudi Arabia with private tour operators.
Another issue plaguing the Haj management is the absence of a full-fledged Central Haj Committee. For the past four years, a persistent demand for the formation of a full-fledged Haj Committee of India, as mandated by the Haj Act of 2002, has gone unheeded. Despite the Supreme Court’s categorical order, the government did not act. Reason: The Haj Act requires the nomination of three MPs on the Haj panel and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no Muslim member in Parliament. The delay in the formation of the Haj panel is in clear contempt of the apex court order. It shows that the BJP-led government is least bothered about minority-related affairs, as has happened with other minority-related bodies. The government trumpets the ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ slogan frequently, but its actions do not match with words.
As of now, AP Abdullakutty heads the lame-duck Haj Committee with two women vice chairpersons, Mafuza Khatun and S Munawari Begum. Abdullakutty is a former CPI(M) MP from Kerala who joined the BJP and became the chairman in April 2022. The two women are also from the BJP stock.
When this issue was raised by Clarion India with Minister Rijiju, he said the present committee’s tenure is coming to an end and he will take the matter in right earnest. He also said that he would visit Saudi Arabia in January to finalise the Haj Agreement 2025.
