The evolution of the J&K Muslim Waqf Board,formerly Muslim Auqaf Trust, is widely regarded as a story of unfulfilled dreams in the state. It is a well-known fact that this state-administered organisation after assuming a large part of administrative control of Muslim shrines in J&K has not achieved the level of transparency and accountability as would be appropriate of such an organisation.The opinion that depoliticisation and democratisation of this body could have helped in making it more effective and transparent is gaining currency with each passing day. The local administrations of many shrines and mosques are increasingly voicing their frustration over the centralised manner their funds are administered by the Board and the little say they have in deciding its spending policy. Although the partial restructuring of the erstwhile Trust during the PDP rule did address some of the structural issues of the Trust, however the process of restructuring couldn’t meet the expectations completely. The latest revelations about the Waqf Board’s administrative expenditure and its expenditures on social services from its Bait-ul- Maal head are alarming, and point to the same deficiency of accountability that is now deemed impossible to continue. This revelation goes to strengthen the notion that the Board’s financial resources do not go where they are needed the most.
Internationally accepted norms for administrative expenses for charity organisations range between 10-15 per cent. As such, the Waqf Board’s over 50 per cent administrative expenses are unacceptable. At the end of the day it is the public donations made in the spirit of charity and wellbeing of the poor that constitute the financial resources of the Waqf Board.And that is the reason why these resources must be utilised for the wellbeing of these very people. It is high time the Waqf Board’s policies and procedures in financial management are reviewed. Failure to do so could dent public trust in donations to the Waqf  in an irrevocable manner

Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 18 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST