- The GST Council has reduced the GST for all religious tours facilitated by the Government of India to 5 percent.
- These would include pilgrimages like Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the Haj, and the Pashupatinath tour.
- Haj is facilitated by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in coordination with the Haj Committee of India (HCOI).
- It is undertaken only through chartered flights and the Yatra is also done mainly through chartered flights. Journeys through chartered flights attracted 18 percent GST, which has now been fixed at 5 %.
- The reduced GST would significantly benefit Haj pilgrims, especially women by lowering the fare.
- For the first time since the independence 2,340 women from India will go on 2019 Haj without Mehram.
