Govt to facilitate utilisation of Waqf properties for edu & skill dev purposes
Monday - February 18, 2019 4:15 pm ,
Category : INDIA
Feb 18 2019 (WTN)- Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said that for the first time since the Independence Government has been providing 100 per cent financial help to utilise Waqf properties across the country for educational empowerment and job-oriented skill development of the needy sections of the society. While chairing the meeting of newly constituted Central Waqf Council (CWC) in New Delhi, Naqvi said that Government has provided basic amenities to ensure educational empowerment and job-oriented skill development of Minorities, especially girls, in those backward areas of the country which were deprived of these facilities since the Independence.
Naqvi said that under “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram” (PMJVK), the Minority Affairs Ministry, for the first time after the Independence, has constructed schools, colleges, ITIs, skill development centres, multi-purpose community centres “Sadbhav Mandap”, “Hunar Hub”, hospitals, business centres etc on waqf properties across the country.
Naqvi further stated that works have been done on war-footing to provide basic amenities to ensure socio-economic-educational empowerment and job-oriented skill development of Minorities especially girls in 308 districts of the country. He said that the campaign to utilise Waqf properties across the country for socio-economic-educational empowerment and job-oriented skill development has been successful. There are around 5.77 lakh registered waqf properties across the country.
Minister also informed that report of a five-member committee, constituted to review waqf properties lease rule, headed by Justice (Retd) Zakiullah Khan, has been submitted. The recommendations of the committee will ensure that Waqf rules are made easy and effective for better utilisation of Waqf properties and to free these properties, several of these entangled in disputes for several decades, from disputes. He said that the Government will take necessary action on the recommendations of the committee after examining the report.
Naqvi said that Government has provided scholarships to about 3 crore 83 lakh students belonging to Minority communities during about last four-and-a-half years which include about 60 per cent girl students. He also stated that because of Government’s efforts for educational empowerment of all weaker sections including Minorities, school dropout rate among Muslim girls reduced from 70 to about 35 per cent.
Source-PIB
