Lok Sabha Question No. 3036 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-12
Subject: Haj Pilgrimage
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Amol Ramsing Kolhe

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3036 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2020

## HAJ PILGRIMAGE

## 3036.  SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India has become the first country in the world which has made the entire Haj 2020 process 100% digital and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether this move would help in removing middlemen, ensuring that Haj pilgrimage becomes affordable in comparison to the cost incurred in the past several decades and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has also launched an online system to create and maintain the  complete  health  database  of  Indian  pilgrims  to  deal  with  any  emergency  in Makkah-Madinah and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  train  Haj  pilgrims  in  their  respective States regarding the pilgrimage and if so, the details thereof along with the number of trainers trained for this purpose; and
- (e) the number of online applications received for Haj 2020 and the expected number of Indian Muslims to perform Haj, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  India  adopted  extensive  use  of  Information  Technology  for  'Ease  of  Doing  Haj'  to make the  Haj  process  digital  for  benefit  of  Haj  applicants/  pilgrims  and  enhanced ease of Haj process/ operations, which includes complete online application process for Haj 2020 by Haj Committee of India (HCoI), maintenance of comprehensive data about pilgrims going through HCoI, their medical details, accommodation in Makkah and  Madinah,  issuance  of  bar  code  readable  information  on  the  identity  card  and tagging of baggages  of  the pilgrims, digital sharing of pre-arrival flight-wise information of pilgrims with Saudi authorities for travel arrangements, online system

to  maintain  and  update  health  data  base  of  Indian  Pilgrims  along  with  doctors' prescription,  medical  treatment,  medicines  disbursal  and  inpatient  details.  The process  of  registration  and  allocation  of  Haj  quota  to  the  private  Haj  Group Organisers  (HGOs)  has  been  made  completely  digital,  which  includes  online processing and scrutiny of applications of HGOs, online disclosure of services and Haj packages offered, web portal for viewing and comparing Haj packages offered by registered HGOs,  disclosure of complete details of pilgrims serviced, online generation  of  agreements  to  be  signed  between  HGOs  and  the  pilgrims,  etc.  The Consulate General of India, Jeddah has developed a Mobile Application "Indian Haji Information System" for the Indian pilgrims for accessing details of their accommodation  in  Makkah  and  Madinah;  location  of  tents  in  Mashaer  region; Khadimul Hajjaj  details;  practical  information  including  Haj-guide  video,  advisories, latest  news,  etc.  as  well  as  for  complaint  registration  and  tracking.  In  Haj-2019,  a trilingual  (English,  Hindi  and  Urdu)  new  feature  'Haj-2019  Survey'  was  added  for receiving feedback from pilgrims. India is among the few countries which has done 100% implementation of E-path system of Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah which it has eased the Haj-immigration process in the Kingdom.

- (b) Making of application for the Haj pilgrimage completely online by the HCoI, complete online application process for registration and allocation of Haj quota to HGOs and online  submission  of  buildings  on  offer  for  HCoI  pilgrims  in  Makkah  ensures  that pilgrims/ stakeholders can apply directly by accessing the internet without the need to  come  through  a  middleman.  This  has  simplified  the  Haj  process,  improved transparency and decision making process in Haj management. However, quantifying the cost savings resulting from digitisation of Haj process is not possible as this includes various tangible and intangible benefits accrued to the pilgrims in the form of ease of Haj process/ application from home, access of authentic and reliable information by  the  pilgrims  and  stakeholders,  receiving  timely  and  reliable  medical attention by the pilgrims, ease of doing business, improvement in quality of buildings hired and amenities provided therein in Saudi Arabia, etc.
- (c) Consulate General of India, Jeddah has developed online application eMASIHA (electronic- Medical Assistance System for Indian Pilgrims Abroad) which was  launched  during  Haj-  2018.  In  e-MASIHA,  the  health  database  of  the  Indian Pilgrims coming through HCoI is pre-fed.  This helps the medical attendant/ doctor available in the Indian medical centres in Makkah or Madinah or Jeddah Haj terminal awareness of the health issues of the pilgrims when they approach them. Based on the  health  database,  doctors  and  paramedical  staff  make  regular  visits  to  the accommodation of pilgrims falling under High Risk Group (medically) to check their

health.  The  laboratory  test  reports,  medication  prescribed  by  the  doctor  and  those collected  by  the  pilgrims  are  updated  online.   This  application  also  maintains  the inventory  of  the  medicines  in  each  branch  to  ensure  adequate  availability  of medicines.

- (d) Haj Committee of India (HCoI) imparts training to the trainers. One trainer is selected for  every  250  pilgrims  and  overall  about  500  trainers  are  trained  by  HCoI  for  this purpose.  The  trainers  impart  Haj  training  to  the  selected  pilgrims  in  the  training camps organized at district level by the respective State Haj Committees under the overall guidance and instructions of HCoI.
- (e) The total number of online applications received for Haj 2020 is 2,13,726. As per the quota  allocated  to  HCoI  in  the  annual  bilateral  agreement  with  Kingdom  of  Saudi Arabia for Haj 2020, the expected number of Indian Muslims to perform Haj State/ Union Territory-wise through the HCoI is given in Annexure.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3036  FOR  12.03.2020  RAISED  BY  SHRI  KULDEEP  RAI  SHARMA,  DR.  SUBHASH  RAMRAO BHAMRE, SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL, SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE, DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL, DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S., DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE REGARDING HAJ PILGRIMAGE

Number of Applications received in Haj Committee of India and Quota allocated for Haj 2020

| Sr. No   | Name of States/Union Territory       | 2020        | 2020              |
|----------|--------------------------------------|-------------|-------------------|
| Sr. No   | Name of States/Union Territory       | No. of App. | Quota allocated** |
| 1        | Andaman & Nicobar (UT)               | 114         | 114               |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh                       | 3147        | 2930              |
| 3        | Assam (*)                            | 4418        | 4418              |
| 4        | Bihar                                | 4857        | 4857              |
| 5        | Chandigarh (UT)                      | 44          | 44                |
| 6        | Chattisgarh                          | 912         | 469               |
| 7        | Dadra nagar Haveli (UT)              | 40          | 40                |
| 8        | Daman & Diu (UT)                     | 39          | 39                |
| 9        | Delhi (NCT)                          | 5312        | 2129              |
| 10       | Goa                                  | 140         | 140               |
| 11       | Gujarat                              | 29540       | 7285              |
| 12       | Haryana                              | 2838        | 1577              |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh                     | 50          | 50                |
| 14       | UT of Jammu & Kashmir & UT of Ladakh | 16880       | 9929              |
| 15       | Jharkhand                            | 2282        | 2282              |
| 16       | Karnataka                            | 9839        | 6734              |
| 17       | Kerala                               | 26081       | 10834             |
| 18       | Lakshadeep (UT)                      | 270         | 270               |
| 19       | Madhya Pradesh                       | 13319       | 4864              |
| 20       | Maharashtra                          | 28712       | 12349             |
| 21       | Manipur                              | 525         | 525               |
| 22       | Odisha                               | 656         | 656               |
| 23       | Puducherry (UT)                      | 86          | 86                |
| 24       | Punjab                               | 302         | 302               |
| 25       | Rajasthan                            | 8241        | 5359              |
| 26       | Tamil Nadu                           | 6028        | 3736              |
| 27       | Tripura                              | 106         | 106               |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh                        | 28063       | 28063             |
| 29       | Uttrakhand                           | 2516        | 1278              |
| 30       | West Bengal                          | 7594        | 7594              |
| 31       | Telangana                            | 10775       | 4341              |
| 32       | Discretionary quota                  |             | 500               |
| 33       | Khadim ul Hujjaj                     |             | 625               |
| 34       | quota                                |             | 500               |
|          | Mehram                               |             | 125025            |
| Total    | Total                                | 213726      |                   |

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