Haj committee proposes to end airport tax for pilgrims going this year

Muslims pray at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia August 29, 2017. Picture taken August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

The Haj committee of India (HCoI) has proposed to the Centre to not charge airport tax for Hajis this year since the Haj subsidy has been rolled back, reports The Times of India.

Iftikhar Javed, a HCoI member, told the paper that the committee has written to the central government to end the tax on the pilgrims to ease some burden off of them.

"With the Haj subsidy slashed, pilgrims could have to pay an approximate Rs 25,000 including taxes of around Rs 10,000. If the latter is taken back by the government, it would be helpful to Hajis," he told the paper.

The Haj subsidy which was first proposed and later rolled back, was provided by the Indian government to Indian Muslim pilgrims. The pilgrims, with this subsidy, could have availed for discounted flight prices.

On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Haj committee held its Qurrah (draw of lots). The lottery system selects the pilgrims who will be going for the holy pilgrimage to Mecca this year.

With over 42,892 applications, the state follows a 29,851 seats quota. Of these, 2,621 seats are taken up senior citizen applicants who age above 70 years and who are under the reserved category and 32 seats by women who have applied in eight groups of four to go on the pilgrimage without male accomplice (mehram).