On the Hajj pilgrimage, the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Tuesday said that the Saudi Hajj Ministry has agreed to re-open the Haj (Nusuk) Portal for Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) to accommodate 10,000 pilgrims, based on current availability in Mina.
MoMA has issued urgent directions to CHGOs to complete their process without delay, the ministry said.
The development comes after a recent Times of India report said the fate of around 52,000 Indian Hajj pilgrims was uncertain after Saudi Arabia cancelled zones in Mina that were previously allocated to private tour operators.
Of the total Hajj pilgrims’ quota allocated to India, 70 per cent will be handled by the Hajj Committee of India while the remainder will be allocated to private Hajj Group Organisers, according to the government’s Haj Policy for 2025.
The ministry has said a quota of 1,75,025 (1.75 lakh) was allotted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to India for 2025.
Last week, the Ministry of Minority Affairs Secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar, accompanied by Joint Secretary CPS Bakshi, visited Jeddah to review the ongoing Hajj preparations for Indian pilgrims.
