The government has made special arrangements to provide forex facilities and mandatory insurance to Haj pilgrims this year. The forex services will be provided by the State Bank of India (SBI). The Ministry of Minority Affairs stated that all Haj pilgrims will be provided a forex card, which would eliminate the possibility of theft or loss of physical currency. In case the card gets lost, the pilgrim can get the money refunded from the bank.
Earlier the Haj Committee of India used to provide 2100 riyals (approx Rs 46,000) to Haj pilgrims, irrespective of their requirements. However, the Haj Policy 2023 is giving the pilgrims the option and flexibility to arrange their own foreign currency or take lesser foreign exchange, as per individual requirements.
The government collaborated with SBI to ensure that the forex is provided at competitive rates. The lender will also offer mandatory insurance for all the pilgrims to meet the requirements for their stay in Saudi Arabia. SBI will reach out to the pilgrims through SMS.
SBI will arrange for focal points and nodal officers at appropriate levels to facilitate the collection of forex in cash or card, as well as provide any other guidance as required. It will also set up a helpline, and the contact details of the nodal officers will be made public soon.
This year, out of the total 1.84 lakh applications that were received for Haj pilgrimage, 14,935 applicants were given assured allotment. This included 10,621 pilgrims in the over 70 years category and 4,314 Ladies Without Mehram (LWM) – the largest ever contingent of women going to Haj without a male member.
The application process was undertaken online this year and was finalised through an Online Randomized Digital Selection (ORDS) process, with no human intervention. The list of selected and waitlisted applicants was published on the official portal immediately after the selection process.
All the 1.4 lakh pilgrims were sent an SMS informing them of their selection for Haj 2023. Waitlisted pilgrims have also been sent an SMS, informing them of their position in the waitlist.