Haj Committee announces foreign exchange rate for pilgrims

New Delhi, Sep 25 (UNI) The Haj Committee of India has fixed the foreign exchange rate of one Saudi Riyal to Rs 12.4600 for this year's Haj pilgrims.

In a statement, the committee also advised the pilgrims to deposit the balance amount of foreign exchange in accordance with the accommodation category opted by them, after deducting the advance amount of Rs 10,000 along with the Haj application towards advance foreign exchange.

The balance amount of foreign exchange payable by the pilgrims proceeding for the Haj -- landing at Jeddah and returning from Jeddah -- will be Rs 68,373 and Rs 62 ,143 fron category I and II acommodation categories, respectively.

The foreign exchange entitlement accommodation for Category I and II pilgrims have been fixed at Saudi Riyal 6,290 (Rs 78,373) and Saudi Riyal 5790 (Rs 72,143).

Pilgrims entitled to accommodation categories III, IV and V have a foreign exchange entitelment of Saudi Riyal 5240 (Rs 65290), SR 5240 (Rs 65,290) and Sr 4640 (Rs 57,814) respectively.

The bank draft of the balance amount foreign exchange should be drawn in favour of the ''Haj Committee of India, Mumbai'', payable at Mumbai, and should be sent to the Chief Executive Officer, Haj Committee of India, Haj House, Mumbai by November 7.

''The pilgrims should adhere to the deadline for payment of the balance amount of foreign exchange to the Haj Committee of India, Mumbai instead of forwarding the same to the State Haj Committees concerned or remitting the said amount at the time of booking at the embarkation points,'' the statement said.

UNI SKS VA RAI1833