Lok Sabha Question No. 4119 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-12
Subject: Haj Quota to PTOs
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunhalikutty P.K.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4119 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2019

## HAJ QUOTA TO PTOs

## 4119.  SHRI P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Haj  quota  is  being  given  to  Private  Tour  Operators  (PTOs)  since  last year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the lobby of PTOs has become too strong to be handled; and
- (c) if so, the steps taken/ being taken to make the working of PTOs transparent and to deter them from indulging in malpractices?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) No,  Sir.Since  2002,  the  Private  Tour  Operators  (PTOs)  now  called  Haj  Group Organisers (HGOs) are being registered as PTOs/ HGOs and allocated Haj quota by the Government of India as stipulated by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- (b) and (c) No, Sir. The HGOs are registered and allocated Haj quota in a transparent manner under the policy for HGOs framed by the Ministry. Under the current five year policy for HGOs for Haj 2019-23, following major safeguards are provided:
- (i) The HGOs are registered under three different categories on the basis of their experience in conducting Haj or Umrah pilgrimages. New HGOs applying on the basis  of  Umrah  experience  should  have  five  year's  experience  of  conducting Umrah  pilgrimage  and  should  also  have  valid  agreement  with  the  licensed SaudiUmrah Operators for the years in which Umrah Pilgrims were facilitated by them.
- (ii)  HGOs are required to submit a security deposit of INR 25 Lakhs, INR 30 Lakhs and  INR  35  lakhs  as  per  their  category,  which  is  released  to  them  after successful  completion  of  Haj  by  them  and  after  ensuring  that  no  complaint  of pilgrims is pending against them.
- (iii)  HGOs involved in court cases related to heinous crimes and/ or matters related with Haj operations are not considered at all for registration.
- (iv) Selling/ transfer of Haj quota seats to any other HGO is strictly prohibited. In case of receipt of any complaint against any HGO indulging in such activity, the HGO is liable to be blacklisted and its security deposit forfeited.
- (v)  HGOs  that  misrepresent  or  mislead  the  authorities  in  their  application  and documents are debarred from applying for at least 5 subsequent years besides forfeiture of security deposit.
- (vi) HGOs are required to furnish full  information  of  their  pilgrims  to  the  Consulate General  of  India  (CGI),  Jeddah  and  also  upload  it  on  the  website  of  CGI www.cgijeddah.com before departure of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The details of all pilgrims (name, mobile number, e-mail id, passport number, current address of pilgrim, and boarding point for the Saudi Arabia Travel, details of arrangements made in Saudi Arabia, package cost and the agreement signed with the pilgrims) are also uploaded on the Haj Group  Organisers Portal of the ministry www.haj.nic.in/pto before their departure to Saudi Arabia.
- (vii)  HGOsare required to sign and upload an agreement with each pilgrim indicating the services to be provided to the pilgrim and charges payable.
- (viii)  In  the  last  three  years,  punitive  action  has  been  taken  against  the  HGOs  for violation/  non  compliance  of  terms  and  conditions  of  the  HGO  Policy  including debarment of 3 HGOs for different  periods,  forfeiture  of  their  security  deposits and denial of Haj quota to 8 HGOs.
- (ix) The application for registration of HGOs  is received online through HGO portal www.haj.nic.in/pto.  Another  web  portal  www.indianhajpto.gov.in  has  also  been launched where different Haj packages and services offered by the HGOs may be searched and compared.

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