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Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, signed the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Saudi Arabia's Minister for Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah in Jeddah.
A total quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India has been finalised for Haj 2024, with 1,40,020 seats reserved for pilgrims to proceed through the Haj Committee of India. Moreover, this will greatly benefit the common first-time pilgrims intending to undertake the Haj pilgrimage in 2024, whereas 35,005 pilgrims would be permitted to proceed through Haj Group Operators. During the meeting with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, the digital initiatives of the Indian government in facilitating and promoting ease and convenience for the Indian Haj pilgrims by providing last-mile information to the pilgrims were greatly appreciated by Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, "they offered to extend all possible help in this regard," according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The initiative by the Indian government towards encouraging participation under the Ladies without Mehram (LWM) category was discussed, deeply appreciated and lauded. Later, Smriti Irani and MoS Muraleedharan visited the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport to oversee the arrangements for Haj pilgrims. "Subsequent to the signing of the Bilateral Haj Agreement and the meeting with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, KSA, Smriti Zubin Irani accompanied by Muraleedharan visited the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, to oversee the arrangements for Haj pilgrims and explore ways to facilitate better logistics and monitoring mechanism for the convenience of the Indian Haj pilgrims," according to the statement. (ANI)
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