Overall, it has been the impression of a large numbers of people, including Haj Committee members, several State Haj Committee members as well as the Haj Goodwill Delegation that in terms of arrangements, this year's Haj was a considerable improvement over the Haj in previous years. Our pilgrims lived in some of the best accommodation available in Makka and Madinah at the lowest possible rents. We increased the strength of our India-based staff from 300 to nearly 400 and also doubled the strength of the seasoned staff recruited locally. Our medical mission was also strengthened and it provided nearly three lakh services throughout the Haj season in Saudi Arabia. An innovation this year was the setting up of a control room in Makka which provided round-the- clock service during the Haj season and consisted of administrative and medical staff. This control room was the core of our Haj management in Saudi Arabia. It played a particularly important role during the crisis of the Mina stampede ... The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has commended this year Haj arrangements as being far superior to those of earlier years'.
The biggest problem this year was that of the irregular movement of Haj charter flights. I understand that an effort was made to finalise contractual arrangements several months before the commencement of the Haj season. In this effort, besides the Haj Committee, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India and my own Ministry were involved ... During the outgoing and incoming flights, we experienced a number of difficulties, particularly prolonged delays and uncertainties regarding revised schedules. I would like to urge the Haj Committee, the MEA officials concerned as well as the Civil Aviation Ministry officials to ensure that such difficulties are minimised during the Haj next year. This will require speedy issue of the global tender and early finalisation of the charter contract.
... The first issue that we need to take up very seriously is that of the training and orientation of our pilgrims. It is indeed a shame that several of our pilgrims who go for Haj remain untutored with regard to the rituals of Haj, with regard to safety measures and with regard to the facilities that they would be available for their use in Saudi Arabia. I regard this shortcoming as a collective failure of all of us who are enjoined by our laws and rules to provide the best conditions for our pilgrims to perform Haj ... I see this primarily as the responsibility of the State Haj Committees who must run training camps ... at district and state levels ...
... Over the last 15-20 years, several attempts have been made to finalise alternative legislation, the last exercise having been taken up late last year ... My Ministry is even now engaged in the task of developing a new draft Bill which would revamp Haj management. This will take cognisance of the important changes that have taken place in the area of Haj both in Saudi Arabia and in India and attempt to put into position a system that would serve our needs for several years and even decades to come. I am confident that the on-going consultations will yield a model draft that my Government would be able to introduce in Parliament as soon as possible ...
Parl. Standing Committee Report, 1998
Expenditure on Haj Pilgrimage, 1998*
Haj Goodwill Delegation:
Actuals 1996-97 Rs. 1.65 crores
RE 1997-98 Rs. 2.70 crores
BE 1998-99 Rs. 2.70 crores
Other Expenditure on Haj:
Actuals 1996-97 Rs.17.24 lakhs
RE 1997-98 Rs. 0.88 crores
BE 1998-99 Rs. 1.00 crore
Under the allocation of Business Rules of the Government of India, the Ministry of External Affairs has the responsibility of Management of Haj. The Consulate-General in Jeddah, is the main Field Agency and the Haj Committee in Mumbai, which is constituted under an Act of Parliament to hand responsibilities relating to the Haj within the boundaries of India ... There is a steady increase in the number of Haj pilgrims from India ... Suitable arrangements are being made to provide more and better facilities to Haj pilgrims through computerised operations. The number of Haj Staff and Medical Personnel has been increased, and the quality of accommodation provided has been improved ... The draft of a new Haj Act is presently under the Government's consideration and the reconstitution of Haj Committee has also been taken up. Besides, training camps for the pilgrims are being organised and adequate publicity through films and other means has been undertaken.
The Committee drew the attention of the Ministry of the fact that there has been lot of complaints about the method of selection of Haj pilgrims and making the funds available to them for the pilgrimage. Since the Haj affairs are looked into by the Ministry of External Affairs, the Committee feels that there should be a clear demarcation of powers of the Mission at Jeddah and Haj Committee to avoid any overlapping between them which, in turn, results in lot of difficulties to the Hajis. As the Haj Committee is still functioning under the old statute, the Committee desires that early steps be taken to review and make necessary amendments in the Haj Committee Act. (*Excluding Haj Charter Fare Subsidy - Editor)