A month after scrapping Haj subsidy, govt announces reduction in airfare for pilgrims

The Centre on Tuesday announced a remarkable reduction in airfare for people going on Haj with Union Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi describing it as a "major step". To drive home the point, Naqvi compared Haj airfares fixed during the former UPA regime and the ones for 2018. The fare reduction will be applicable to airlines, including Air India, Saudi Airlines and Flynas, an air carrier based in Saudi Arabia, to Jeddah and Medina from 21 airports in India.This comes a month after the government abolished subsidies given to those on Haj pilgrimage.