Great news for those planning to go on Hajj this year! The process of performing Hajj has just been made easier by the new announcement of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for pilgrims who can pay their dues in dollars.
Pilgrims who are able to pay for Hajj expenses in dollars will will receive a special 25% quota and won’t have to go through the balloting process under the the new Sponsorship Scheme.
A total of 22,400 pilgrims will benefit from this new arrangement.
The decision has been taken in response to the country’s depleting foreign exchange reserves.
It has also stated that Hajj expenses can be paid in dollars via foreign remittances, which should make things even more convenient for pilgrims.
The current foreign exchange liquidity crisis has led an increase in the Hajj quota for private operators by 10%, from 40% to 50%.
It could be increased further, as per reports.
Under the government, scheme pilgrim will be charged around Rs. 1.1 million for Hajj this year.
This amount may also be impacted by the Saudi Government’s increasing tax rate for Hajj, which is expected to rise by 18-20% according to reports.