By TwoCircles.net news desk,
Patna: As Hajj trip of 2009 is going to start from tomorrow-20th October- for Haj aspirants of India, the Union Cabinet today approved the following relevant features for this year’s Haj program:
1. The Haj operations 2009 would commence from 20th October, 2009 and conclude on 1st January, 2010.
2. The number of Haj pilgrims would be approx. 1, 23,211 under the government subsidy scheme.
3. Every Haj pilgrim would pay only Rs.16, 000/- as fare and the remaining fare would be borne by the government of India.
4. The Haj operations would be carried out from 19 embarkation points unlike 17 of last year.
5. Two embarkation points i.e. Ranchi and Mangalore have been added this year in order to facilitate travel of Haj pilgrims from the states of Jharkhand and Karnataka.
6. The pilgrims would travel by Air India, Saudi Arabian Airlines and National Air Services of Saudi Arabia.
It is to be noted that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is entrusted with the responsibility of providing air travel facility to Haj pilgrims sponsored by Haj Committee of India.