Policy for 2025 also mandates one state haj inspector for 150 pilgrims as against 300 in old policy. Haj Suvidha app has been launched to provide info on accommodation & flights.
According to an AFP report, out of the total dead, 323 were Egyptians. Saudi state TV said temperatures rose 51.8 degrees Celsius in the shade at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
In their petition, several Haj Group Organisers — govt-approved group tour operators that organise the pilgrimage — claimed their certificates & quotas were suspended after they were found eligible.
This is the second consecutive year when Indians will miss going for the annual pilgrimage, owing to travel restrictions that have been put in place because of the Covid pandemic.
India has finalised 58,000 applications for Haj, but needs Saudi govt to give the sanctioned quota of the final number of people. The pilgrimage is scheduled from 17-22 July.
In January, the govt announced that there would be no subsidy for Haj from this year and the funds saved would be used to provide education to minority communities.
Canada faces serious foreign interference issues, but these challenges must not be weaponized to unfairly target friendly and important allies like India.
In Episode 1544 of CutTheClutter, Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at some top economists pointing to the pitfalls of ‘currency nationalism’ with data from 1991 to 2004.
Among 19 Indian firms sanctioned by US Treasury Dept was Lokesh Machines Ltd accused of coordinating with 'Russian defence procurement agent to import Italy-origin CNC machines'.
While we talk much about our military, we don’t put our national wallet where our mouth is. Nobody is saying we should double our defence spending, but current declining trend must be reversed.
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