Haj yatra to get cheaper by Rs 1 lakh, age limit no more a bar

The formation of a women's committee to provide Haj-related facilities to the women Haj pilgrims and to address their complaints related to the journey was also approved in the meeting. Raza further informed that the Saudi Arabia government has abolished the age limit of 65 years for the pilgrims coming for Haj.

Lucknow:In a respite to Haj pilgrims, the Central government has decided to cut down on unnecessary costs on the Haj pilgrimage, bringing the expenses down by Rs 1 lakh. It was agreed upon in a meeting attended by the National Haj Committee and the respective Haj Committees of all the states on Saturday.

Speaking to the media, Uttar Pradesh State Haj Committee chairman Mohsin Raza shared that many important decisions were taken in the interest of Haj pilgrims in the meeting convened under the chairmanship of Union Minority Welfare Minister Smriti Irani. With the decision of the Centre, Haj pilgrims will now be able to save Rs 1 lakh on the holy journey, he added. Apart from this, private organisations will no longer conduct RTPCR tests of passengers before the start of the journey.

The Central government has planned to provide facilities to expedite the registration process with the help of the Haj Committee. Also, now the Haj House will be used for the uplift of the poor and helpless women. The formation of a Women's Committee to provide Haj-related facilities to the women Haj pilgrims and to address their complaints related to the journey was also approved in the meeting.

Raza further stated that the Saudi Arabia government has abolished the age limit of 65 years for the pilgrims coming for Haj. The maximum number of Haj pilgrims from India leaving for Mecca and Madina are from Uttar Pradesh. This is the reason why the Central government has provided the maximum quota for the state.