Hajj travel agents urged to provide concessionary rates

Rasika SOMARATHNA

Deputy Environment Minister and Hajj Committee co-Chairman Abdul Cader requested approved travel agents for Hajj, to consider providing concessionary rates for pilgrims this year.

He made the request at a meeting with them during the weekend where over 60 travel travel agents had attended.

During the meeting, he conveyed to travel agents that the government has requested Saudi Arabian authorities to increase the annual Hajj pilgrim quota from 2,800 at present to 6,000 this year and they had agreed to look into it.

He told them that there was a strong possibility that Saudi Arabian authorities would increase the quota enabling more Sri Lankan devotees to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca this year.

He also told them that he was against some authorities from charging unnecessary fees from Hajj pilgrims and added that all efforts will be made to overcome such anomalies. He told agents that all efforts will be made from the government side to enable more devotees to travel to Mecca and to assist pilgrims in all their needs.

The Deputy Minister recently undertook a visit to Saudi recently to discuss matters related to the annual Hajj pilgrimage. On the occasion he delivered a letter from Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne who is also in charge of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to the Saudi

Arabian Ministry of Hajj Affairs seeking an increase in the annual Hajj pilgrim quota.