New Delhi, June 5: After the fuel price rise, a tricky proposal on raising the Haj airfare awaits the Centre.

The civil aviation ministry has suggested hiking the two-way fare from Rs 12,000 per pilgrim to Rs 16,000. It cites the recent rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices.

The proposal, made in a cabinet note, awaits the return of foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, who will arrive from a four-day official visit to China on June 7. The issue could be sensitive in an election year.

Although the foreign ministry handles Haj-related issues, it’s Air India, which is under the civil aviation ministry, that flies the Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and back.

The hike has raised the ATF cost per hour of flying from Rs 1.78 lakh to Rs 2.11 lakh — an additional Rs 33,000 an hour.

Many airlines raised their fares after the latest ATF price hike (before slashing them after the duty cuts following yesterday’s oil price rise).

Haj is expected in November this year, with about 1.1 lakh pilgrims going through the Haj Committee of India, a government body.

The Haj airfare has remained constant since 1994 for pilgrims who fly the national carrier. The overall subsidy on the pilgrimage currently costs the nation about Rs 350 crore a year.