The State Wakf Board has sought an enhanced grant-in-aid of Rs. 12 crore for the year 2012-13 and filling up of vacancies for efficient functioning of the Board. Last year, the government released a mere Rs. 37.5 lakh against the budget estimate of Rs. 1.50 crore.
Board chairman Syed Gulam Afzal Biabani, along with the Minorities Welfare Minister Syed Ahmedullah, called on Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday and requested for increase in the budget allocation.
Mr. Biabani said that during the last two years, there was no budgetary allocation for repair, maintenance and protection of wakf institutions, repair of mosques and revolving fund for development of wakf institutions.
Administrative grant
Citing the case of Karnataka, he said the government there was extending Rs. 5 crore annually for remuneration to mosque caretakers besides administrative grant for wakf board employees. Mr. Biabani urged the Chief Minister to grant a similar amount to the Wakf Board here. He wanted Rs. 1 crore grant towards assistance to divorced Muslim women.
He further stated that there was no increase in the present staff strength of 239 since 1996, while the work load had increased manifold. Government should sanction 68 additional posts in various cadre. The Chief Minister was also requested to implement pension scheme to the Wakf Board employees .
