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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. The Secretary is the Chief Executive of the Council.
The Council office at present works at Jamnagar House,
New Delhi.
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.
Wakf
Wakf is a permanent dedication of movable or immovable properties for
religious, pious or charitable purposes as recognized by Muslim Law. The Wakf
Institutions deal with the religious, social and economic life of Muslims.
They are not only supporting Mosques, Dargah etc. But many of them support
Schools, Colleges, Hospitals and Musafirkhanas which are meant for social
welfare.
Administration of Wakf
The Central Government is responsible for the implementation of the Wakf Act.
It has been taking up issues of common concern to promote the interests of Wakfs
in the country. The Wakf Act, 1954 had provisions for survey of Wakfs,
constitution of Central Wakf Council and State Wakf Boards etc. For better
interpretation of the provision of the Act keeping in view the objective of
the legislation, the Wakf Act, 1954 was amended many times. Finally a
comprehensive and land mark legislation i.e. Wakf Act, 1995 was enacted by the
Government of India in November, 1995, which became effective from 01.01.1996.
In contrast to the previous Act, this Act is applicable throughout the country
except for Jammu & Kashmir and Dargah Khwaja Saheb, Ajmer.
Functioning of the Central Wakf Council
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. The Committees also
discharge the functions entrusted to by the Council from time to time.
The main function of the Central Wakf Council is to advise the Government of
India on matters concerning the working of Wakf Boards and the due
administration of Wakfs in the country. Beside that the important issues
affecting the community especially those pertaining to religious
matters/Islamic affairs like administration of Mosques, Dargahs and proper
management of properties are also considered by the Council/its Committees.
Whenever matters of general interest regarding management of Wakfs in State
are to be taken up at the level of the Central Government the same are
generally referred to the Central Wakf Council.
Development Activities
A) Development of Urban Wakf Properties
With a view to protect vacant Wakf land from encroachers and to develop it on
commercial lines for generating more income in an order to widen welfare
activities, Central Wakf Council has been implementing this scheme since
1974-75 with yearly grant-in-aid from the Central Government. Under the
Scheme, loan is extended to various Wakf Institutions in the Country for
taking up economically viable buildings on the Wakf land such as commercial
complex, marriage halls, hospitals, cold storage etc. For this, the Central
Government has released a total grant-in-aid amounting to Rs. 34 crores 66.66
lakhs only between September 1974 to March, 2011, and in turn the Central
Wakf Council has extended loan to 137 projects approved by the Council as
well as by the Government of India. Out of these 137 projects 84 projects
have been completed in all respect and are yielding income. The loan amount
is repaid to the Council by the loanee institutions in easy instalments and
the amount thus received back forms a Revolving Fund, which is again
utilized for giving loans up to Rs. 20 lakhs to the Minor Development
Projects on Wakf properties. From this Fund, the Council had released a sum
of Rs. 4 crores 96.89 lakhs to 90 projects up to 31.3.2011 out of which 79
projects have been completed.
Therefore,
with the total grant-in-aid of Rs.34 crores 66.66 lakhs received by the
Council, it has been able to get 163 projects completed and the work on the
remaining sites is in progress. This has received appreciation of all sections
of the society describing it a magic of management. The grant-in-aid received
by The Central Wakf Council is forwarded to the loanee Wakf in the form of
interest free loans for the Development of Urban Wakf Properties while the
Council bears the entire expenditure on the staff working in the Scheme as
well as other expenses on paper, postage etc. Against this service rendered
by the Council, it puts two conditions on the loanee Wakf institutions i.e.
(i) they would pay 4% donation on the outstanding loan to the Education
Fund for the Educational Scheme of the Council meant for educational
upliftment of the poor Muslims;
(ii) after the repayment of the loan, they would spend 40% of their enhanced
income on the education of the Muslims particularly on the technical
educations.
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B) Educational Scheme
The 4% donation received from loanee Wakfs on the outstanding, as well as
the interest accrued on the Bank deposits of the Revolving Fund, form the Education
Fund of the Council. This Fund is utilised for implementing the following
programmes;
i) Matching Grant to the State Wakf Boards for providing scholarship in their
respective States to the Higher Secondary, Madarsa students and to the
students undergoing Technical/Professional Diploma Courses;
ii) Grant for the establishment of I.T.Is. in the Muslim concentrated areas;
iii) Financial assistance to Voluntary Organizations for Vocational Training
Centres;
iv) Financial assistance to Libraries for developing Book Bank; and
v) Ad-hoc grant/emergency grant for admission in
professional courses and fee for coaching of competitive exams to the poor
and needy students.
Till 2007-08, Council had scholarship and Ad-hoc grant programmes for poor and needy students. In this, the Council had granted scholorship to 12,952 students of Technical Degree courses like MBBS, BUMS, BAMS, B.Tech and B.Sc.
(Ag) etc. and Ad-hoc grants to 6,366 Poor and
Needy Students of general degree courses.The Scholarship/Ad-hoc grant scheme
of the Council has been discontinued, owing to the implementation of the
similar scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs Government of India. Now for
all type of scholarship, please visit the website of the Ministry of Minority
Affairs:
www.minorityaffairs.gov.in
Up to March 31, 2011,
under the programme of vocational training, 628 Voluntary Organisations/
Technical Institutes have been assisted. Similarly, under the scheme for
setting up I.T.Is., the Central Wakf Council has approved twenty I.T.Is. in
the Muslim concentrated areas.
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