TS govt. gives Wakf Board more teeth

For the first time, the Board will be given both executive and judicial powers

Haj pilgrims leave for Mecca, in Hyderabad on Sunday. Photo:G Ramakrishna

For the first time, the State Wakf Board will be given both executive and judicial powers. The Telangana government has taken a decision in this connection and has obtained Cabinet approval too.

This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mehmood Ali, while addressing the first batch of Haj pilgrims at the Haj House here on Sunday.

Presently, the A.P. State Wakf Board, which is in the tenth schedule, is not bifurcated yet.

The main purpose of bestowing executive and judicial powers on the Wakf Board is to give teeth to it so that the Wakf property can be effectively protected and developed for the betterment of the community. This will also lead to a manifold increase in its revenue.

“The Wakf Board income is expected to increase by Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000 crore,” Mr. Mehmood Ali said.

Stating that the TRS government was committed to the development of minorities, he said the government would be earmarking Rs. 1,000 crore for the welfare of minorities in its maiden budget.

Under the scheme for grant of Rs. 51,000 for the marriage of poor Muslim girls, it was targeted to perform 1.5 to 2 lakh marriages in the next five years.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who flagged off the first batch of 350 pilgrims at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, urged the Hajis to pray for the well-being and prosperity of Telangana, India and humanity. Under the Nizams, Telangana was among the richest and most prosperous States. “I hope it regains the old glory,” Mr. Mehmood Ali said.

The special chartered Saudi Airlines flight was scheduled to leave at 11.30 a.m. for Jeddah. But it left four and a half hours late as there was inordinate delay in its arrival from Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims who were in ‘ihram’ (donning two unstitched pieces of cloth) were served both breakfast and lunch at the Haj terminal.

Earlier, at the Haj House, Mufti Khaleel Ahmed explained the rituals of Haj in detail while executive officer, Abdul Hameed, gave tips about the journey. Special Officer, Haj Committee, Prof. S.A. Shukoor, welcomed the pilgrims.