No budget, no officers: Telangana minority welfare department left to fend for itself

Hyderabad: Telangana minority welfare has become the most neglected department in the state. No budget and no officers, this institution has been left to fend for itself.

More than 7 institutions are working under the minority welfare department. it is run by only two officers including Secretary. The seven institutions include Telangana State Wakf Board, Telangana State Haj Committee, Telangana State Minority Finance Corporation, Telangana State Urdu Academy & Telangana Study Circle for Minorities.

No one to head institutions

There is no officer to monitor the functioning of the department. This is because the Government of Telangana has given full additional charge to the secretary of Telangana Minorities Residential Institutions Educational Society to M.B.Shafiullah. M B.Shafiullah was transferred from the forest Department and posted as Secretary TMRIES with an additional charge of Executive officer of the Haj Committee.

Minority welfare department issued a government order to give all institutions including Waqf Board to secretary TMRIES. Telangana minority finance corporation is also headed by a full additional charge officer who is deputed as Telangana Christian Minority Finance Corporation.

Waqf Board needs a full-time officer

Telangana Waqf Board needs a permanent full-time Chief Executive Officer for overseeing day-to-day affairs. Also, many legal issues are pending. There are sub judice cases in various courts of the state. Telangana High court ordered the Minority welfare department to appoint a full-time CEO of the Waqf Board as per Waqf Act in November 2022. It gave 8 weeks to comply with the order.

But the minority welfare department didn’t take any action. Mohammed Masiullah Khan Chairman TSWB said they have taken a resolution and sent the names to the Minority welfare department as per court orders, but the minority welfare department informed us there is no officer in the Deputy Secretary cadre to appoint as full-time CEO.

An additional charge was given to M.B.Shafiullah but he wrote back to the minority welfare department about his reservations. His unwillingness to take charge as CEO has become a bone of contention as senior government officials are trying to convince him to take it up. It may be recalled that waqf properties in the state are being encroached and the department needs a senior officer who will have to work from scratch.

Why is no officer ready to take charge as CEO?

Waqf Board is a very controversial department as there is a lot of political interference. There are lands and properties all over the state but there are not enough documents on the same. There is also encroachment over the years which is difficult to remove. The officials who earlier worked as CEO have openly stated within their circles that it is not a position to take. Their bad experience during the service due to alleged political involvement has made it difficult to conduct even day-to-day affairs. Due to this reason, the employees of the department are also divided and there is no co-operation among them. The officials who tried to streamline and create a system have been thrown out. It is alleged that most of the employees are related to each other and they gang up as one against the head of the institute. There were baseless allegations and their service records foiled which created a bad will for them.

Why does Waqf Board need full-time CEO?

More than 3000 cases are pending in various courts of law in which the board has to represent through the CEO, When the board doesn’t have full-time CEO the official work can’t be disposed of. What does the Waqf board deal with? Waqf board which deals with Muslim-endowed properties, and issues of mosques, Shrines, and graveyards. They need eligible and efficient officials to protect and resolve the issues of endowed properties.

UMF demands setting house in order

United Muslim Forum reacted sharply to the style of functioning of the Minority welfare department in Telangana. UMF represented the government for the appointment of a full-time CEO waqf board and the reopening of the record section of the board. They are also demanding full-time officers in all the minority institutes at the earliest

Muneeruddin Muqtar Gen. Secretary UMF said, "We cannot have non-functioning minority departments as the benefits to the people are not reaching them. We are urging Chief Minister Mr. K. Chandrshekhar Rao to make this department functional. Properties need to be protected and services which have been granted must be given to the poorest section of the society for whom these departments were created."