Srinagar, Jan 09: Joint Secretary Minority Affairs Nirupama Kotru, a Kashmiri Pandit who was part of an Indian delegation led by Union Minister Smriti Irani to sign Hajj Agreement 2023 has said that India’s annual Hajj quota has been enhanced to 1.75 lakh pilgrims annually.
Speaking exclusively with KNS from Saudi Arabia she said under the new Agreement 2024, the Saudi government has agreed to enhance India’s annual quota of first-time Hajj Pilgrims to 1.75 lakh annually.
The good part of the agreement is that this year also highest number of Hajj pilgrims will be from J&K and those who remain on the waiting list and for anyone who cancels his application, preference will be given to J&K residents on the waiting list, she said, adding, “We are now only behind Pakistan and Indonesia. Still, we have requested the Saudi government to enhance the quota to 2 lakh annually from next year.”
The agreement was supervised by Union Minister Smriti Irani and MoS Foreign Ministry V Murlidharan.
Kotru said last year a significant initiative of women without “Mehram” to perform Hajj was taken. This year we have already received 6000 applications from women who wish to perform Hajj without “Mehram”, she informed.
“We believe that this year the number will be even higher than last. During our visit, we have ensured that those wishing to take this holy pilgrimage do not face any difficulties in terms of facilities and other things,” she said.
Nirupama said that the facilities for Hajj pilgrims were overseen by the Union Minister herself and she had an extensive discussion with Saudi authorities for providing better facilities to Hajj pilgrims from India. (KNS)
