Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today asked the J&K Wakf Board to utilize its endowments and other donations for the welfare and education of poor and deprived sections of the society. She also advised them to emulate successful models like BGSBU and SMVDU for productive utilization of Wakf assets and resources.Chairing the meeting of Board of Directors of J&K Wakf Board here, the Chief Minister described the resources and other donations with the Board as sacred assets meant for transforming the social and economic condition of the poor and the downtrodden. She said the poor and deprived sections have the first right over the usage of revenues of Wakf Board so that they too are able to stand up.Mehbooba Mufti also asked the officials of Wakf Board to take care of the catchment areas of shrines and Ziyarats while undertaking sanitation, cleanliness or any other developmental works. She said the local administrators of the shrines be asked that while they would be undertaking cleanliness, sanitation or any other developmental activity within their respective shrine compounds the catchment areas should also be included in the drive.
The Chief Minister, who is also chairperson of the Wakf Board, directed undertaking a detailed exercise, backed by comparative statements, on revision of rent rates on the properties of the Wakf Board. Mehbooba Mufti directed the officials of the Wakf Board to get the necessary processes of documentation cleared for developing commercial establishments at the properties of the Wakf Board at some prime spots in the Kashmir Valley.The Chief Minister directed the Wakf Board to maintain a separate account of all endowments in kind like gold, silver etc. and evolve a proper mechanism for its consequential utilization. As per the directions of the Chief Minister in the last meeting, it was reported that an exhaustive inventory of the properties and other estates of Wakf Board has been prepared. It was also informed that Point of Sale machines are being provided at all major shrines to facilitate donations through digital mode to ensure transparency.
The meeting was informed that the Board has developed some 20 kanals of its land at Bagh-e-Asham for high density plantation. Under its Orchard Development Plan, the Wakf Board has identified several plots across the State to be developed as model plots. Also the meeting was informed that the Wakf Board plans to set up a skill training institute in the Valley on the pattern of one already set up at Samba by the J&K Wakf Council.In a significant decision, the meeting decided to revisit the revival plan of Jamia Madinatul Uloom and explore the possibility of setting up an Islamic Cultural Centre at Hazratbal in the vicinity of the Holy shrine by integrating it with the already rolled out Hazratbal Dargah Development programme.The meeting also decided release of DA in favour of employees of the Board from January, 2016.Vice Chairman, J&K Wakf Board, Peer Muhammad Hussain; Chief Executive, Wakf Board, Fayaz Ahmad Lone and members of the board were present in the meeting.