The Punjab Wakf Board ... is composite Board of four states namely Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and' Union Territory, Chandigarh controlling approximately 40,000 Wakfs in the region.

... After reorganisation of the State of Punjab, the Punjab Wakf Board had jurisdiction over three States and one Union Territory and (functions) under the control of Government of India ... (Presently) the Board is functioning under the direct control of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment ...

In 1997-98, the Punjab Wakf Board has made a record revenue collection of 8.75 crore. This is higher by Rs.1.58 crore over the year 1996-97 ... In 1998-99,the revenue collection of the Board steadily rose to Rs.9.68. crore representing an increase of 10.62%. Also, during the year 1997-98, the Board spent ... 2.79 crore on social. welfare programmes ... for the benefit of members of minority community in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh. In1998-99 the total expenditure ... was Rs.2.74 crore ...

A sum of Rs. 67.8 and Rs.58.9 lakhs were spent during 1997-98 and 1998-99 towards the payment of salaries to Imams, Muezzins, caretakers etc. engaged in about 400 mosques and shrines under the direct management of the Board ... 1529 and 1503 widows and destitutes received monthly pension and the Board had spent Rs.18.73 and 31.83 lakhs on this account in 1997-98 and 1998-99 respectively ...

under a new scheme called "Stipend to Orphans and Old-age Pension" ... 94 persons ... received monthly pension ... On this account, the Board has spent Rs. 1.19 and Rs.1.83 Iakhs in 1997-98 and 1998-99 respectively.

The Board gave financial assistance to victims of natural calamities ... in Mewat ... (and) to poor Muslim families for arranging marriages of their sons and daughters. On this head the Board spent Rs.2.11 lakhs in 1997-98 and Rs.1.68 lakhs in 1998-99 ... The Board is running a mobile dispensary in Nuh (Haryana).

... During ... 1997-98 ... 529 students and in 1998-99 386 Muslim students were granted, monthly scholarships of Rs. 5.12 lakhs and Rs.3.36 lakhs respectively ....

Urs and Festivals: The Board organised functions on the occasion of Annual Urs ... of Sufi-saints. Prominent among them are Hzt. Booali Shah Qalandar, Hzt. Shamsuddin Truk, Hzt. Sheikh Jalaluddin Kabirul Aulia (Panipat), Sheikh Jalaluddin Thanesari (Kurukshetra), Hzt. Sain Tawakkal Shah, Hzt. Tajuddin Lakhhi Shah (Ambala City), Hzt. Mirarji Bhik, Thaska (Kurukshetra), Hzt. Imam Nasiruddin, Jalandhar and Haji Rattan, Bathinda.Functions are also held at different places on the occasions of Id Milad-un-Nabi, Board's Foundation Day etc. During .. 1997-98 a sum of Rs.3.41 lakhs and in 1998-99 Rs.3.09 lakhs have been spent ...

... Islamia Girls High School, Malerkotla' ... received grant-in-aid of Rs.33.67 lakhs from the Maulana Azad Education Foundation for the construction of new building. The Board ... established a charitable dispensary in the memory of famous Sufi-saint Hzt, Ghaus Ali Shah at Panipat. An MBBS doctor is regularly providing free medical constancy to poor families living in the tenements in and around the Dargah Ghaus Ali Shah.

Workshop on Legal Issues Relating to Wakf

The Board organized a legal workshop to discuss the legal issues and problems relating to Wakf matters ... on 15 November, 1998 at Ambala ....

The Board organized a one-day workshop on "Modernization of Madarsa Education" on 19. June, 1999 at Ambala ... During 1997-98 and 1998-99 Rs.18.11 lakhs was spent ... (as) non-recurring grant to various mosques, which are being run by the local Muslims.

On construction of shops/branch offices, the Board had spent an amount of Rs.15.56 lakhs.

During ... 1997-98, 20.74 lakhs was spent (for) special repairs to mosques and shrines and ... an amount of Rs.8.05 lakhs was spent on the maintenance of mosques ... Restoration of Mosques: A large number of mosques in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh (have) remained under illegal occupation since 1947 ... The Board had been forced by circumstances, to allow these mosques to remain under license with the occupants ... Now licenses issued in the past are being cancelled. Efforts are also being made to (have) these mosques vacated with the help of the "Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act, 1991".