New Delhi: In the Haj policy for 2025, the Narendra Modi government has relaxed the age limit for ‘ageing pilgrims’ from 70 years to 65. The move is expected to benefit thousands of ageing pilgrims as priority will be given to people who are 65 years old or above.
“Haj is an arduous and strenuous pilgrimage involving walking up to 25 km in a day in extremely harsh climatic conditions of KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and hence it would be mandatory for pilgrims aged 65 or above (including such Ladies Without Mehram pilgrims) to be accompanied by a companion,” said the new policy announced Monday.
The age of the companion must be between 18 and 60 years, according to the new policy.
The change was made after minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju reviewed last month the Haj policy for 2025. The registration for next year is expected to start from September.
According to the policy, the quota of Haj Group Organisers (HGO, or private operators) in the total number of Haj seats has been increased to 30 percent as against 20 percent last year. The remaining 70 percent will be allocated to the Haj Committee of India (HCoI).
“Out of the total number of quota allocated to the Government of India, 70 percent will be allocated to the Haj Committee of India and the remaining 30% will be allocated to HGOs,” the office memorandum issued by the minority affairs ministry to states and Union Territories read.
The total number of Haj seats is decided based on an agreement between India and Saudi Arabia.
“The decision to increase the quota of private operators or HGOs will help people who are willing to pay for better facilities,” a member of the Delhi Haj Committee told ThePrint.
To assist pilgrims, a dedicated ‘Haj Suvidha’ app has been launched to provide information about accommodation, flight, and emergency helpline.
The ministry has renamed the Khadim-ul-Hujjaj (KuH) — government officials who travel from states and UTs to assist the Consulate General of India in Jeddah in looking after pilgrims — to State Haj Inspectors (SHI).
According to the new policy, there will be one SHI for 150 pilgrims as against 300 pilgrims in the previous policy.
The new policy also said that pilgrims will not be allowed to file complaints under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. “Nothing extra is being charged from the pilgrims except the miscellaneous dues towards administrative expenses including dues of the State/UT Haj Committees as provided in the guidelines. HCoI, as such, does not come under the purview of the Consumer Protection Act,” the policy read.
Under the new policy, pilgrims will have to get a medical fitness certificate from a government doctor as against last year’s policy under which a medical certificate could be obtained from a registered doctor.
“In order to ensure that only healthy pilgrims proceed for Haj, a two-step medical screening has been introduced, one at the application stage (on the reverse of the Haj application) and another of the selected pilgrims at the embarkation stage. Every applicant should fill out the medical history, get examined, and obtain a Medical Screening and fitness certificate from government allopathic doctor, on the reverse of his/her Haj application,” the policy read.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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