Wakf Board okays registration of 291 societies

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Aug 31:

The Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs (MSBW) has decided to approve the registration of as many as 291 religious societies (mosque, dargah etc) on Wednesday. The appointments of Mutawallis (caretakers) to look after the Wakf properties have also been okayed, although the proposal was pending for the past many years.

While speaking to media persons, the MSBW Chairman Wajahat Mirza, the board also approved a resolution to appoint a permanent chief executive officer (CEO) in the headquarter to look after the regular affairs.

A three-day meeting of the Wakf Board started at Mahsul Prabodhini today. The chairman briefed also informed that the board members MP Fauzia Khan, MP Imtiaz Jaleel, Hafiz Syed Athar Ali, Sameer Qazi, Hasnain Shaker, M. U. Pathan and CEO Junaid Syed were present in the meeting.

Mirza also mentioned that to speed up the functioning of the board, the state government has approved the recruitment of staff. Hence the board is pursuing to obtain Service Recruitment Rules.

So far, the board has lodged 22 cases against people involved in the usurping of Wakf land. The board intends to approve registration to 300 societies, hence the registration process will continue till the target is completed.

“The Wakf land which had been leased out to the occupants, on an agreement basis, will have to pay their rent as per the ready reckoner,” pointed out Mirza.

The board will continue taking action against encroachment as the encroachments in Mandki (Aurangabad) were removed by the office.

The hearing upon 63 cases has been scheduled to be held in the meeting, he said. In reply to a question, the Wakf chairman clarified that it is a rumour that the MSBW headquarter is shifting to Mumbai.

Mirza also mentioned that the survey of Wakf lands and properties in Parbhani has been done recently and the same pattern will be implemented in Aurangabad.

Wakf Officer Kazi Sharekh, Muhammad Mudaseer, Asif Mutawalli, Sohail Muhammad, Khan Muzzammil, Abdul Jabbar, Fayyaz Pathan, Khusru Khan, and PRO Ashfaq Shaikh were also present on the occasion.