Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has ordered J&K Wakf Board to take immediate steps for improving facilities and beautification of holy shrines under its ambit, in particular at Aasar-e-Sharief Hazratbal, Chrar-e-Sharief and Baba Reshi, enabling the devotees to pay obeisance in a hassle-free manner.He also called for upgrading all existing schools under Wakf Board as Model Schools for imparting quality education.Mufti Sayeed passed these directions while chairing the 20th Board of Directors meeting of J&K Wakf Board, here.Minister for Haj & Auqaf and Horticulture, A. R. Veeri, Vice Chairman, J&K Wakf Board, Peer Mohammad Hussain, Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science & Technology (IUST), Prof. A. R. Trag and Members of the J&K Wakf Board attended the meeting.
The meeting began with the Chief Minister paying rich tributes to late Mufti Bashir Ahmad Farooqui, the Imam of Aasar-e-Sharief Hazratbal and Member of J&K Wakf Board, who passed away last month.Laying stress on improving facilities and overall ambiance, Mufti Sayeed directed the Vice Chairman to devise a mechanism which will facilitate the devotees visiting the holy shrines. He said the caretakers should ensure that shrine properties are taken good care of, especially vis-a-vis wuzu khanas and landscaping of shrine premises.While reviewing the functioning of Hanfia School, Anantnag, Mufti Sayeed passed directions for upgrading all schools managed by Wakf Board as model schools. He said the schools must have facilities of smart classrooms, computer labs and correction centres so that students have access to quality education.He also approved bringing the salaries of teachers of the school at par with other educational institutions, managed by the Wakf Board.
While briefing the Chief Minister, who is also the Chancellor of IUST, the Vice Chancellor said the varsity will adopt four schools in its catchment area for up-gradation as model schools. He informed the Chief Minister that the University Convocation will be held next month, for which the process of compiling reports and inviting participants is presently underway.Keeping in view the demand that will arise in future for paramedic staff for newly-sanctioned medical colleges, the Chief Minister also directed the Vice Chairman Wakf Board to explore possibility for setting up new nursing colleges. He said the demand for paramedic staff will increase when new medical colleges will start functioning. He asked the Minister for Haj & Auqaf to prepare a blueprint for setting up similar nursing colleges in Jammu province, where also three new medical colleges are being established.
On being briefed about the need to start work on stalled Bibi Halima Nursing College at Srinagar, the Chief Minister directed VC Wakf Board to allocate funds for starting work on the ground floor. He assigned the responsibility of executing and monitoring the construction work to Khalid Muzaffar, retired Chief Engineer and Member of the Board, and asked him to complete the work within the next one year.Mufti Sayeed also desired that a mechanism be worked out to take on rent the Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital Trust at Anantnag so that its existing infrastructure can be utilized for setting up of a nursing college. He asked VC WakfBoard to take up the matter with the Trust Management.Anantnag is one of the districts where Union Health & Family Welfare ministry has sanctioned a new medical college.
In order to strengthen the Wakf institutions and streamline their functioning, the Chief Minister directed Vice Chairman to seek advice of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, so that the lacunae, if any, in the Wakf Act are removed by bringing in necessary amendments.Asking the Vice Chairman to take steps in protecting and safeguarding the Wakf properties, the Chief Minister also directed Vice Chairman to take necessary steps to improve the resource position of the Wakf Board, in particular related to the revenue generated out of the leased out assets. Mufti Sayeed also directed Advocate Azhar-ul-Amin to prioritize the issue of recovery of all outstanding dues on account of rentals, which are pending with various government departments.The other Members of J&K Wakf Board who participated in the meeting included Maulana Showkat Keng, Gh. Hassan Shah, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Nehvi, Prof. Mushtaq Qureshi and Mrs. Mian Altaf Sarwar.