Haj 2023: India Announces new 'Landmark' Policy, Makes Application Forms Free, Reduces Package Costs

New Delhi: The Ministry for Minority Affairs on Monday (February 6, 2023) released a new "landmark" Haj Policy and announced that the application forms for going on the pilgrimage will free of cost for the first time. The Ministry also said that the new policy will bring financial relief to pilgrims and that the Haj package costs have been reduced by approximately Rs 50,000.

According to the new Haj policy, out of the total number of quota allocated to the government of India, 80 per cent will be allocated to the Haj Committee of India and the remaining 20 per cent will be allocated to private operators.

"Those who have performed Haj earlier through Haj Committee of India will not be eligible to apply. In the case of 'Mehram' (companion) for lady pilgrims and of companions accompanying pilgrims over 70 years of age, repeaters will be allowed on payment of additional charges as applicable from time to time," the policy stated.

Under the new #HajPolicy wide choice of embarkation points & special arrangements are made for ladies, infants, divyangjan & elderly.@PMOIndia@smritiirani #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav #SabKaSathSabKaVikas — Ministry of Minority Affairs (@MOMAIndia) February 6, 2023

The pilgrims will be given a choice between the embarkation point of the area and the nearest economical embarkation point as per the difference in air travel costs from the previous year.

Haj 2023: There will be 25 embarkation points 

There will now be 25 embarkation points for Haj 2023.

The embarkation points are Srinagar, Ranchi, Gaya, Guwahati, Indore, Bhopal, Mangalore, Goa, Aurangabad, Varanasi, Jaipur, Nagpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kannur, Vijayawada, Agartala and Calicut.

Also, this time all states and union territories (UTs) will be allowed to send an officer at the director level in the state or UT service and an officer of state or UT Haj committees, for looking after the pilgrims of their states and UTs.

Woman pilgrims and those over 70 years utilising the service of a repeater as "Mehram" must give a solemn declaration and undertaking to the effect that no first time "Mehram" is available in the family.

Click here to check complete Haj Policy 2023  

The Haj application forms can be obtained from state and Union Territory Haj committees free of cost or can be downloaded from the website of the Haj Committee of India at hajcommittee.gov.in or through the android mobile application "HAJ COMMITTEE OF INDIA" available on the Google play store.

Earlier, the form used to cost Rs 300 irrespective of whether one is selected or not. 

Now, the forms would be free and the processing fee would be charged only from those who are selected.

As per the new Haj policy, women above 45 years of age, who wish to go for Haj but do not have a male "Mehram" and their school of thought (Maslak) permits, are allowed to travel in groups of four or more.

Subject to the terms of Saudi Arabia, a single woman may also apply, and the Haj Committee of India, may form a grouping with women who apply under the category, it stated.