[India] - India's Haj quota at around 1.75 lakh this year

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Around 1.75 lakh pilgrims will be able to go for Haj to Saudi Arabia as per the quota designated to India by Saudi Arabia this
year.The application procedure for Haj is yet to be opened through the devoted online website by the ministry of minority affairs.The first
batch for Haj typically leaves in May or June depending upon the schedule alerted and shared together with the guidelines by authorities in
Saudi Arabia.Last year after a two year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian Muslim pilgrims had the ability to go for Haj
A restricted quota of around 79,000 was assgined by Saudi Arabia in the middle of the pandemic associated preventive restrictions
The authorities in Saudi Arabia had actually issued Covid-19 associated standards for pilgrims to follow.In a written reply to a concern in
Lok Sabha, minister for minority affairs Smriti Irani informed Parliament that the ministry has had a number of interactive sessions on Haj
management with the stakeholders consisting of Haj Committees of the states and Union Territories (UTs) where requests for restoration of
Haj quota were received
The problem was resolved under the yearly bilateral agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Haj 2023 and inspite of obstacles of
Covid-19, the initial Haj quota of the nation 1,75,025 has actually been restored for Haj 2023, the minister said in her reply.