The additional burden is mainly due to the depreciation in the value of the rupee against the dollar.
Indian pilgrims travelling for Haj in 2012 will have to bear an additional burden of nearly Rs. 300 crore, compared to last year.
The depreciation in the value of the rupee against the dollar is primarily responsible for the additional burden that Indian Haj pilgrims will be forced to bear.
The Haj Committee of India, on an average, collects in Indian currency, a value of 8,219 Saudi Riyals from each pilgrim.
While, last year, the rate of one Saudi Riyal was fixed at Rs. 12.19, this year, as on Saturday, one Saudi Riyal was trading at Rs. 14.75. At these rates, each pilgrim will have to pay an additional amount of Rs. 21,224.96, compared to last year. This would take the additional amount to be paid by 1.25 lakh pilgrims to over Rs. 265 core.
However, the rate of Rs. 14.75 for one Saudi Riyal might experience several fluctuations, as the final rate to be paid by pilgrims will be decided only at the end of June.
Further, the depreciation of the rupee will also affect the spending of Indian pilgrims during their stay in Mecca and Madina.
Therefore, Indian pilgrims heading to Haj this year will end up paying an additional amount of Rs. 300 crore.
According to the CEO of the Haj Committee of India, Mohammad Shakir Hussain, there might be a slight difference in the additional amount that the pilgrims would have to pay, but it is certain that Haj 2012 would be costlier compared to last year.
Shakir Hussain also said that all selected pilgrims would have to deposit their original passports and first installment of Rs. 51,000 by 11 June. The last date for the payment of the second and final installment is 19 July. Flights for the pilgrims of Andhra Pradesh will begin from 17 September, he said.
The CEO said that the Haj Committee was trying to get permission from the Saudi government for using the metro rail services spread across 34 kilometres on the Meena-Arafat-Muzdalfa-Meena route. If this is approved, pilgrims will have to pay separately to use these services, he said.
Shakir Hussain said that the as per the Saudi Government's norms, on an average, this year, a space of 4x4 square metres will be allotted for the accommodation of each Indian pilgrim. Further, for the first time, all pilgrims are being issued health cards, which will contain their entire medical history.
A comprehensive Haj Guide in English, Urdu and Hindi will also be distributed among the pilgrims, he said.
Regarding private tour operators, the CEO said that they could apply to the Ministry of External Affairs upto 8 June, to avail themselves of the Haj quota.
Meanwhile, Shakir Hussain inaugurated the first training camp for the trainees of the Haj Committee, at the Haj House building at Nampally, on Saturday. As many as 90 participants, including 29 trainees, 19 Khadimul Hujjaj, and representatives of NGOs, attended the camp. This year, one trainee has been assigned for 200 pilgrims. Similar training camps will be held across the country in the next few weeks. (INN)