The Hindu : National : Wakf Boards asked to generate funds for women welfare

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Friday, Nov 26, 2004

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National

Wakf Boards asked to generate funds for women welfare

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 25. The National Commission for Women (NCW) today asked the Wakf Boards to pay more attention to women's welfare and generate funds to help women in distress.

It suggested that the monthly allowance be increase to at least Rs 1,000 from the present Rs 200.

Talking to presspersons after a meeting with the State Wakf Board heads, the NCW Member, Nafisa Hussain, said the condition of the Wakf Boards was bad. The NCW would call a meeting of the Wakf Boards and the National Commission for Minorities to address the issue.

Ms. Hussain said the Wakf Boards were not strictly following the Supreme Court's directive that they should offer financial support to women in distress, especially widows and divorcees. "It is even more unfortunate that only seven State Wakf Boards had sent their representatives to the meeting. However, ... they admitted that women were being neglected," she said.

The representatives of the Wakf Boards of Manipur, Shillong, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi attended the meeting.

"The representation itself shows how seriously the women's issues are taken. When money can be generated for all other purposes, why not for women's issues," Ms Hussain asked. The States should give financial help to the Wakf Boards to ensure that women did not suffer, he said.

The meeting recommended that legislation be introduced to reclaim the Wakf Board property, worth crores of rupees, which were either encroached upon or under litigation.

It suggested that every Wakf Board have at least two women, and there should be compulsory registration of marriages. As of now, women were invited only as advisors. However, the meeting refrained from discussing triple talaq and child marriage, which were on the agenda. The Commission will ask all State Wakf Boards to send a report, based on which recommendations would be drafted and sent to the Centre.

The Wakf Board representatives, on the other hand, expressed their inability to provide monetary support to women, since they did not have enough income.

They pointed out that there was no proper utilisation of property, as many were encroached upon, or under litigation, and the rents they received was low. It was suggested that if the Boards got back the property, they would be able to generate more revenue.

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