The government has accepted a high-level committee’s recommendation of increasing by over 3% the quota of private tour operators sending Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The high-level committee formed by the government to frame the draft ‘Haj Policy 2018-2022’ had made the recommendation last month.
The committee had recommended that the quota of private tour operators be increased from the present 26.47% to 30%.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has confirmed that the panel’s suggestion has been accepted.
“We have accepted the recommendation. It is a logical recommendation which has been accepted after studying each aspect of the issue including that of interests of the pilgrims,” Mr. Naqvi said.
India has an annual Haj quota of 1.70 lakh. Out of this, according to the allocation for 2017, 1.25 lakh pilgrims could travel to Saudi Arabia through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI).
The private tour operators could transport 45,000 devotees. This will now increase to 51,000 devotees.
