While the order of priority was 70 plus applicants, ladies travelling without mehrams (LWM), and the general category in 2024, the new Haj policy has prioritised 65 plus applicants followed by ladies without mehrams and then the general category.
Out of the total Hajj pilgrims quota allocated to India, 70 percent would be handled by the Haj Committee of India. In contrast, the remaining 30 percent will be allocated to private Haj Group Organisers, according to the government's Haj Policy for 2025.
In 2024, the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) was allotted 80 percent while the private Haj Group Organisers got 20 percent of the quota. While the order of priority was 70 plus applicants, ladies travelling without mehrams (LWM), and the general category in 2024, the new Haj policy has prioritised 65 plus applicants followed by ladies without mehrams and then the general category.
"It is decided that considering the arduous nature of the Hajj pilgrimage, a companion is a must for pilgrims aged 65 or above and no pilgrim aged 65 or above will be registered as a lone member under reserved category," the new Haj policy lays down.
In the 2024 policy, which was a continuation of the 2023 policy, a companion was a must for 70-plus-age pilgrims.
The new policy states that pilgrims of 65 years and above will be registered under the Reserved Category.
"One companion is a must for pilgrims aged 65 or above and no pilgrim aged 65 or above will be registered alone under the reserved category. In case of LWM pilgrims aged 65 or above, a female companion of the age 45-60 is a must," the policy states.
"For non-LWM pilgrims of the age of 65 or above, one companion is allowed who should be an immediate relative namely Husband/Wife/Brother/Sister/Son/Daughter/Son-in-law/Daughter-in-law, Grandson/Grand Daughter and Nephew/Niece. No other relation will be allowed to travel as a companion," the policy states.
Neither the pilgrim aged 65 or above nor the companion will be allowed to travel alone, it says.
"The age of the companion must be below 60 years on the date specified by HCoI. If husband and wife are travelling in a cover under reserved category, and both are aged 65 or above, they will be allowed two companions, who will be a blood relation of the pilgrims," the policy says.
It also states that the age of the 'Mehram' and companions accompanying pilgrims aged 65 years or above must be 18 to 60 years as of the date specified by HCoI. However, companions accompanying LWM pilgrims aged 65 or above must be female and between the ages of 45 to 60 years.
The policy also specifies that a dedicated 'Haj Suvidha' App has been launched during Haj-2024 to leverage Information Technology towards providing greater ease and convenience to the Indian Haj pilgrims by facilitating access to training content, accommodation/flight/baggage details, emergency helpline (SOS), grievance redressal, feedback, language translation and miscellaneous information related to the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims can fill the Haj Application Forms (HAFs) through the website of the HCoI at hajcommittee.gov.in which can also be accessed on mobile phones.
The Government of India and Saudi Arabia sign the Haj Agreement every year in which the number of Haj seats allocated to India is incorporated.
India and Saudi Arabia last year signed a bilateral agreement under which New Delhi has been allocated a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims for the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 2024.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)
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