Lok Sabha Question No. 4366 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-21
Subject: Reduction in Airfare for Haj Pilgrims
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, ANWHAR RAAJHAA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SUDHEER GUPTA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, VIJAY KUMAR S.R.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4366

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2018

## REDUCTION IN AIRFARE FOR HAJ PILGRIMS

## 4366.  SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI A. ANWHAR RAAJHAA:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR

SHRI ASHOK SHAKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) The number of pilgrims who undertook the Haj pilgrimage during each of the last three year;
- (b) The  number  of  estimated  pilgrims  likely  to  be  undertaking  the  Haj  pilgrimage  during  the current year;
- (c) Whether the Government has decided for a significant reduction in airfare for those going on the Haj;
- (d) If so, the details thereof along with the aims and objectives thereto;
- (e) The estimated airfare amount likely to be reduced for Haj pilgrims; and
- (f) The names of the Airlines which will offer reduced airfare for Haj?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a)  and (b) The number of pilgrims who undertook the Haj pilgrimage during last three years and the expected number of pilgrims for Haj 2018 is as under:

| Year            |   Pilgrims through Haj Committee of India |   Pilgrims through Private Tour Operators |
|-----------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 2015            |                                     99930 |                                     36000 |
| 2016            |                                     99961 |                                     36000 |
| 2017            |                                    124940 |                                     45000 |
| 2018 (expected) |                                    128702 |                                     46323 |

(c)  to  (f)  Air  travel  arrangements  for  the  pilgrims  going  through  Haj  Committee  of  India (HCoI),  a  statutory  organization  under  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  are  made  through  the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which is the nodal Ministry in this regard. Air travel cost depends on the lowest price discovered for each embarkation point through competitive bidding in which several airlines of Saudi Arabia and India participate. As per the bilateral agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bids were invited from the scheduled airlines of India and Saudi Arabia for Haj 2018 air charter operations from 20 Embarkation Points (EPs). Based on the L1 rates, Air India (07 EPs), Saudi Airlines (07 EPs) and Flynas (06 EPs) have been selected  to  operate  for  air  transportation  of  pilgrims  for  Haj  2018.  A  comparison  of  the lowest  airfare  arrived  through  competitive  bidding  for  Haj  2014  and  Haj  2018  (excluding taxes, airport charges and applicable Haj subsidy) reveals that rates quoted by the airlines have substantially come down. The comparative list of lowest airfare quoted by airlines in US dollars for Haj 2014 and 2018 is in the annexure.

*****

## LOWEST AIRFARE QUOTED BY AIRLINES FOR HAJ 2014 AND HAJ 2018

|   Sr. No. | Embarkation point (EP)   |   2014 Lowest air fare (in US$) |   2018 Lowest air fare (in US$) |
|-----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|         1 | Srinagar                 |                            2635 |                            1238 |
|         2 | Mangalore                |                            1778 |                            1000 |
|         3 | Gaya                     |                            1798 |                            1200 |
|         4 | Goa                      |                            1491 |                             990 |
|         5 | Nagpur                   |                            1322 |                             834 |
|         6 | Bhopal                   |                            1496 |                            1100 |
|         7 | Ranchi                   |                            1656 |                            1300 |
|         8 | Mumbai                   |                            1028 |                             695 |
|         9 | Aurangabad               |                            1346 |                            1020 |
|        10 | Jaipur                   |                            1224 |                             930 |
|        11 | Hyderabad                |                            1074 |                             784 |
|        12 | Ahmedabad                |                            1028 |                             795 |
|        13 | Cochin                   |                            1129 |                             924 |
|        14 | Lucknow                  |                            1157 |                             967 |
|        15 | Kolkata                  |                            1249 |                            1065 |
|        16 | Guwahati                 |                            1598 |                            1420 |
|        17 | Chennai                  |                            1128 |                             951 |
|        18 | Delhi                    |                            1028 |                             867 |
|        19 | Bangalore                |                            1128 |                             970 |
|        20 | Varanasi                 |                            1247 |                            1095 |

Note - Lowest airfare does not include applicable taxes, airport charges or air travel subsidy popularly known as Haj subsidy earlier given to airlines.