Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — India has requested Saudi Arabia to increase the Haj quota for 2014 so that it can accommodate at least half of the applicants. “We have raised this matter with Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar during Sunday's high-level meeting in which the bilateral Haj agreement was signed. Our request is to restore the actual quota of 170,000 instead of the allotted 136,020,” India's Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed told a press conference at the Indian Consulate here on Monday. Indian authorities are fulfilling all the requirements for Haj visa issuance following the decision of Saudi authorities to introduce electronic path system for Haj pilgrims for the first time this year, Ahamed said. “We have made some suggestions from the practical point of view, which the Saudi authorities have agreed to consider,” he said. Referring to the issue, Faiz Ahamed Kidwai, Counsel General, added: “We have started making payments for all the housing and transportation facilities through e-channels, instead of checks as was done earlier. We have to confirm every detail of housing and transportation arrangements in this way to the Saudi authorities as a prerequisite for issuance of Haj visas.” Ahamed said a total of 136,020 Indian pilgrims will perform Haj this year. “Like last year, there was 20 percent deduction in our quota, which otherwise would have been 170,000. Out of the allotted quota, 100,020 pilgrims have been set aside for those using the Central Haj Committee and 36,000 for pilgrims for private tour operators,” he said noting that last year, there were more than 300,000 applicants for 121,420 Haj Committee seats. Ahamed said Hajjar informed the Indian delegation that the Kingdom will stay committed to the 20 percent reduction of foreign pilgrims and 50 percent domestic pilgrims due to the ongoing expansion works in the Grand Mosque. On behalf of the government and people of India, the minister congratulated King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the Saudi authorities for smooth conducting of a hassle-fee Haj last year. The minister said that the government of Indian has constituted Haj Air Travel Committee to start negotiations with aviation companies for transportation of pilgrims. Last year, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Air India transported the pilgrims. Ahamed also drew attention to the difficulties in hiring local manpower for Haj operations due to the Nitaqat policy. “I have requested the minister to allow hiring temporary local staff directly as was done in previous years. We have also demanded issuing as many as 1,100 visas for bringing in Haj operation staff from India,” he said. The Indian delegation, headed by Ahamed, held extensive talks with Hajjar and senior Haj officials. Ahamed also had a separate meeting with Rafat Badr, Chairman of South Asian Tawafa Establishment, during which a subsidiary Haj agreement was signed. The Indian delegation is comprised of Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao, Chairman of Central Haj Committee Qaiser Shamim, Joint Secretary of External Affairs for Gulf & Haj Mridul Kumar, Consul General Kidwai, Director of Haj A.K. Kaushik, CEO of Central Haj Committee Ataur Rahman, Director of Ministry of Civil Aviation Puja Jindal, Haj Counsel Muhammad Noor Rahman Sheikh and A.D. Souza of Air India. Later on Monday, the Indian minister called on Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah, emir of Makkah, and discussed with him arrangements for this year's Haj.
