Over 4,000 Indian women set to perform Haj 2023 without Mehram
TCN Service/New Delhi
Over 4,000 Indian Muslim women are set to perform Haj 2023 without Mehram in Mecca in Saudi Arabia this year, a government official said on Monday.
“A total of 1.84 lakh applications were received for Haj 2023, 14,935 Haj applicants have been given assured allotment (including 10,621 in 70+ age category and 4,314 Ladies Without Mehram (LWM).
This is the largest ever contingent of women proceeding on Haj alone without a male member,” Indian Minority Affairs Ministry said.
The Ministry said applications for Haj 2023 and selection of pilgrims was done online.
“The applications received over and above the Haj quota have been finalised through an Online Randomized Digital Selection (ORDS) process, without any human intervention.
It is for the first time that the list of selected and waitlisted applicants has been published on the official portal immediately after the selection process, for the general public, in the interest of increased transparency,” it added.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has partnered with State Bank of India(SBI) to make special arrangements to provide Forex facilities to the pilgrims.
Unlike earlier years when each pilgrim was made available 2100 Riyals by the Haj Committee of India, irrespective of his actual requirements, Haj Policy 2023 gives the option to the pilgrims to arrange foreign currency as per requirement.
Indian government has collaborated with SBI, to ensure supply of Forex to the pilgrims at the most competitive rates.
It is worth mentioning here that Haj is annual Muslim that one must perform in his lifetime at holiest city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam including Shahadah (Oath to Allah and Muhammad), Salat (Prayer), Zakat (alms-giving) and Sawm (fasting in Ramadan).
