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New Delhi (24/05/2022): Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi inaugurated a two-day orientation-cum-training programme for Haj 2022 deputationists, in New Delhi on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said that the Government has ended “political deceit of Haj subsidy” with transparency and commitment to “Decisions with Delivery”.
He said that significant reforms done by the Government in the entire Haj process have made the process completely transparent and the Indian Government has made arrangements so that there is no unnecessary financial burden on the Haj pilgrims who will be performing Haj after two years.
Naqvi said that hundred per cent digital/online Haj process has fulfilled the dream of “Ease of Doing Haj” for Indian Muslims and the process is one of the best examples of “Digital India”.
The Minister said that the Haj 2022 is taking place with significant reforms giving utmost priority to health and well-being of the Haj pilgrims. The entire Haj 2022 process has been chalked out with necessary guidelines of the Indian Government and the Saudi Arabia Government. These include eligibility criteria, age limit, health related requirements etc.
Naqvi said that the Government’s Haj reforms include abolishing the decades-old Haj subsidy; removing restriction on women to perform Haj with “Mehram” (male relative) only (which ensured more than 3,000 Muslim women have performed Haj without “Mehram” and about 2000 Muslim women will be going for Haj 2022 without “Mehram”); making the entire Haj process hundred per cent digital/online which includes Digital Health Card, “E-MASIHA” health facility and “E-luggage pre-tagging”, providing all information regarding accommodation/transportation in Makkah-Madina to Haj pilgrims in India itself.
Naqvi said that 79,237 Indian Muslims will go for Haj 2022, these include about 50 per cent women. Out of these, 56,601 Indian Muslims will go for Haj 2022 through Haj Committee of India and 22,636 Muslims will go through Haj Group Organisers (HGOs). The entire process of HGOs has also been made transparent and online. About 2000 Muslim women will go for Haj 2022 without “Mehram” (male companion), these women will go to Haj without lottery system. The Haj could not take place for the last two years due to Corona.
Naqvi further stated that for Haj 2022, the pilgrims will go through Haj Committee of India from 10 embarkation points- Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Cochin, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Srinagar. Flights for Haj 2022 will start from 4th June.
A total of 357 Haj Coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants, Doctors and Paramedics will be deployed in Saudi Arabia to assist the Indian Haj pilgrims. These include 04 Haj Coordinators, 33 Assistant Haj Officers, 143 Haj Assistants, 73 Doctors and 104 Paramedics. These deputationists include 49 females- 01 Assistant Haj Officer, 03 Haj Assistants, 13 Doctors and 32 Paramedics.
In the two-day training programme, Haj deputationists are being given all the information about Haj pilgrimage, accommodation in Makkah and Madina, transport, health facilities, safety measures etc.
They will be deployed in Makkah (head office and branches, dispensaries and hospitals in NCNT Zone and Azizia), Madina (office and branches, dispensaries and hospitals and Madina Airport) and Jeddah Airport. A total of 02 hospitals and 10 branch dispensaries have been established in Azizia; 01 branch dispensary in NCNT Zone in Makkah; 03 branch dispensaries and one hospital have been established in Madina to ensure proper health facilities to Indian Haj pilgrims.
