By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
New Delhi: The Central Wakf Council, the governing body of state wakf boards, discussed establishment of a university by wakf boards in its biannual meeting held yesterday in New Delhi.
Along with other issues, the 55th meeting of the Central Wakf Council held under the chairmanship of Salman Khurshid, Minister for Minority Affairs, who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Central Wakf Council, discussed opening of a university by the Council or wakf boards but could not take any decision.
The Council also discussed annual grant-in-aid by the Central Government to the Central Wakf Council for its establishment/administrative expenditure. So far the Central Wakf Council has not been receiving any amount for its administrative expenditure and has been drawing its income from the 1% statutory contribution made by wakf boards all over the country.
The annual grant-in-aid by the Central Government to state wakf boards for their administrative/establishment expenditure was also discussed. So far the wakf boards have depended on either their own resources or on the grant given by the State Governments. The grant would be subject to certain conditions that (i) the wakf board should be constituted as per the provision of the Wakf Act, 1995; (ii) Appointment of a full time Chief executive Officer of the Board; (iii) Survey of Wakf properties; (iv) Timely audit of the annual accounts of the Board; (v) Removal of encroachment and (vi) Tracking of Law Suits and proper maintenance of Law Suit Register etc.
Other issues discussed in the meeting were: complete computerization of all the 29 state wakf boards for which the Central Government would bear the expenditure. The idea is to imbibe e-management all over the country in the Wakf matters on the lines of e-governance.
Central Data Base would be in the office of the Central Wakf Council which would enable the Council to monitor and advise the state wakf boards timely and effectively. The work has already been assigned to the National Informatics Centre; Wakf properties under the protection and maintenance of Archeological Survey of India. To determine the exact number of Wakf properties, joint survey is being conducted by the State Wakf Boards and the ASI; and financial sanction for the construction of office building of the Central Wakf Council at Sector – VI, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi by the CPWD.
The Central Wakf Council as a Statutory Body was established in December, 1964 by the Government of India under the provision of Section 8A of Wakf Act, 1954 (now read as sub section 1 of the Section 9 of the Wakf Act, 1995) for the purpose of advising it on matters pertaining to working of the State Wakf Boards and proper administration of the Wakfs in the country. The Council consists of Chairperson, who is the Union Minister Incharge of Wakfs and such other members not exceeding 20 in numbers appointed by Government of India as stipulated in the Act.
In terms of Section 10(1) of the Wakf Act, 1995, the Council derives its income from the contribution received by it from the various State Wakf Boards @ 1% (one per cent) of the net income of the Wakfs. All administrative and other expenses of the Council are met out of from this income.
Central Wakf Council normally meets twice in a year. However, the Committees of the Council, which consist of its Members meet as often as possible to transact business regarding the monitoring of the programmes of the Council, administrative and financial matters, implementation of the scheme for the Development of Urban Wakf Properties and Educational schemes of the Council.