2,340 women to visit Hajj without male-companion: Details here
What's the story
Over 2,300 Muslim women from India will go on Hajj this year without 'Mehram' or male companion. Notably, all those who applied under this category have been exempted from the lottery system, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday. Here are the details.
Hajj without Mehram
Last year, Modi-government allowed women to visit Hajj without Mehram
Notably, last year, the Modi government had allowed women to go to Hajj without Mehram, after which about 1,300 Muslim women went for the pilgrimage without any male companion. They had been exempted from the lottery system. This year too, on the directions of PM Modi, the Minority Affairs Ministry has made arrangements to send these women on Hajj without the lottery system.
Lottery system
Here's why lottery is conducted to select Hajj pilgrims
Naqvi, while inaugurating the new office space of Hajj Division at RK Puram, Delhi today said, "More than 2,67,000 applications had been received for Hajj this year out of which 1,64,902 applications have been submitted online." A lottery is conducted to select the pilgrims as there is a fixed quota allotted by Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.
Previous records
A record number of Muslim women performed Hajj in 2018
To recall, a record number of 1,75,025 Muslims, including about 48% women from India, performed Hajj in 2018 without any subsidy. With the Goods and Services Tax on Hajj pilgrimage reduced from 18% to 5%, about Rs. 113 crore will be saved by Hajj pilgrims this year. Reduction in GST on Hajj pilgrimage will ensure a significant decrease in airfare from various embarkation points.
Preparations
Authorities complete preparation for pilgrimage three months in advance
Naqvi said that making the Hajj process digital has helped in making it transparent and pro-pilgrims. The Ministry of Minority Affairs, in cooperation with Saudi Arabia Hajj Consulate, Hajj Committee of India and other agencies concerned, has completed all the preparations for the pilgrimage three months before schedule to ensure that the pilgrimage is more comfortable for the pilgrims.