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Mumbai:
The Government in Saudi Arabia has increased the quota of pilgrims
going for Haj from India by ten thousand Hajis.
The decision followed the
requests made by the Indian Government for an additional quota in the
wake of overwhelming number of Hajis applying for this year's Haj.
"We had demanded an additional quota
of 25,000 hajis for Haj 2010. The government of Saudi Arabia following our
requests agreed to increase the quota by 10, 000", Haj Committee CEO
Abbas Mukaddam told the reporters.
"With this, number of Hajis from
India has increased from 1,15,000 to 1,25,000", he added.
"The additional quota is however still
with the Government of India. Once Hajj Committee formally receives
it, we will
start the regular procedure for allotting it to Hajis who are in the
waiting list", Mukaddam said.
The Government of India keeps
a quota of 11,000 Hajis - normally referred to as Government Quota
with it.
Allotments from this quota are given
to Hajis based on the recommendations made by MPs, MLAs, Governors and
Ministers.
Though the Haj Committees in different
states have already completed their procedures to allot confirmations
to Hajis from their quotas of total 1,04,000, the Government is yet to
release its qouta of 11,000 Hajis.
The last date to allot from the
Government quota is August 31 and the government now has a total of
21,000 seats with it.
Haj Committee officials fear, the
advantage of increased quota may not reach to Indians if the
procedure is delayed further.
Every year over 3.5 million people
from all across the world go to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
Like every year, the Saudi government is taking all efforts to make
this year's Haj in November to be hassle-free.
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