Haj quota rules changed

In order to make the Haj quota allocation process for private tour operators transparent and fair, government has changed rules under which even operators without any experience would be eligible.

The External Affairs Ministry has decided to allocate the Haj quota among private tour operators (PTOs) in accordance with the principles of openness, transparency, equity and providing equal opportunity to those PTOs which are "eligible and fulfill the prescribed criterion for being a duly registered as tour operator".

This decision was taken at a meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister S M Krisha here last week in compliance with the various court cases of 2008 and 2009.

As per the 2009 Haj agreement with Saudi Arabia, Indian Haj pilgrims quota stands at 160,491, out of which 1,15,000 pilgrims are to be sent through the Haj Committee and the remaining 45,491 through PTOs.

Until 2008, Haj quota was distributed among PTOs on the basis of their qualifications and experience. Because of this, no new PTO could qualify for Haj quota owing to their lack of experience and several of them approached the courts.

Since 2008, various court decisions have underlined the need for equitable and fair allocation of Haj quota among all the eligible PTOs including newer applicants.

The meeting held by Krishna decided that if any of the applications of PTOs was not accepted, the objective reasons behind the decision would be clearly spelt out in a transparent manner, a statement by the MEA said.