Union Minority Affairs Ministry announces Hajj 2022

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced Haj 2022 on November 1, 2021 at Hajj House in south Mumbai.

Highlights

• Online application process has started and last date to apply is January 31, 2022.
• People will be able to apply through Hajj mobile app.

The Hajj

The Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage, performed annually to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. From India, two lakh Hajj pilgrims visit Saudi Arabia every year. New arrangement will help in saving crores of rupees of Indian Hajj pilgrims.

Significant reforms

• Union Minister for Minority Affairs also announced significant reforms and enhanced facilities this year.
• Indian Hajj pilgrims will be promoting ‘vocal for local’, onwards. They will go to Hajj with indigenous products bought in India and avoid buying bed sheets, pillows, towels etc using foreign currency. These goods will be available at about 50 per cent of their prices in Saudi Arabia and will be provided to pilgrims at the embarkation points in India.
• For Hajj 2022, embarkation points have been reduced from 21 to 10.
• The ten embarkation points are Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Cochin, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Srinagar.

Selection Process

The selection process of Haj pilgrims will be in accordance with the Covid-19 protocol. Norms will be decided by the Indian and Saudi Arabian governments.

Number of women applicants

Around 3000 women had applied for Haj 2020 and 2021 under the “without Mehram” category. Their applications will be eligible for Haj 2022. For Haj 2022, other women can also apply under the “without Mehram” category. These women will be exempted from lottery system.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2021