By IANS,
New Delhi/Jeddah : The cabinet Friday decided that 125,000 pilgrims from India will go on Haj under a subsidized scheme even as three of the 30,177 Indians already in Saudi Arabia have died.
Two of the dead pilgrims came through the Haj Committee of India and one through a private tour operator, the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah said.
A total of 11 flights have flown from India to Saudi Arabia, bringing 1,829 pilgrims to Makkah. The rest are in Madina, the mission said.
One of the deceased was identified as Farooqui Husain, 70, son of Hafiz Anwar Husain Khan.
“We are in touch with the consulate general… We are doing all we can to ensure the safety of Haj pilgrims from India,” said an official of the Indian external affairs ministry.
Makkah is the holiest city for Muslims. Madina, the second most sacred city, is the burial place of Prophet Mohammad.
The Haj arrangements figured at a cabinet meeting in New Delhi and chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The cabinet decided that 125,000 pilgrims would be covered under the government subsidy scheme for 2011, to be facilitated by the Haj Committee of India in cooperation with the civil aviation ministry.
It approved a fare of Rs.16,000 to be charged from each of the pilgrims. Haj flights would operate from 21 points, an official statement said after the cabinet meeting. Many Haj pilgrims also travel on their own.