Haj 2022 will be fully online, with a 'swadeshi' touch: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

After two years ban on Haj owing to the Covid19 crisis the Indian government has announced the 2022 schedules for the most important pilgrimage of Muslims with a fully online process and a swadeshi touch Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on MondayAll Muslims who are fully vaccinated and desirous of proceeding for Haj next year including women without male companions can apply online or through the upgraded Haj Mobile App before the deadline of January 31 2022 the minister saidWith an emphasis on Vocal For Local Haj 2022 pilgrims will go with indigenous products which will be bought in IndiaEarlier Haj pilgrims used to buy bed sheets pillows towels umbrellas and other items in Saudi Arabia in foreign currency These will be available in India at about 50 per cent lower prices compared with Saudi Arabia said NaqviAll these items will be given to Haj pilgrims at their respective embarkation points in India the minister told mediapersons with the Vice ConsulGeneral of Saudi Arabia in Mumbai Mohammed Abdul Karim AlEnazi Joint Secretary at the Centre Nigar Fatima and Haj Committee of India CEO Mohammed Yakoob Shekha presentFor decades Haj pilgrims used to buy all these items in Saudi Arabia in foreign currency and though most products were Indianmade they were available at twice or thrice the rates in Saudi Arabia he pointed outAccording to some estimates this will save crores of rupees for the Indian pilgrims around 200000 who go to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage barring the 20202021 seasonsThe selection process will be as per the criterial and guidelines of both India and Saudi ArabiaThis time the embarkation points for Haj 2022 have been slashed by half from 21 to just 10 in India the minister saidThe embarkation points are Ahmedabad Bengaluru Cochin Delhi Guwahati Hyderabad Kolkata Lucknow Mumbai and Srinagar with their respective states and other neighbouring regions in their jurisdictionA Digital Health Card EMasiha and ELuggage Pretagging will provide all information pertaining to accommodation or transportation in MeccaMedina to all the pilgrims he saidNaqvi said that over 3000 women without male companion had applied for the last two years Haj seasons which were cancelled and their applications would be valid for Haj2022Besides other women can also apply fresh for Haj2022 and all these applications under the without Mehram category shall be exempt from the lottery systemThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever