Shimla, Aug 06: The Himachal Pradesh government today notified the setting up of a separate Waqf board for the state. The decision was taken by the cabinet at its meeting held here last month.
The evacuee property in the state was being looked after by the Punjab Waqf board since independence and the need for a separate board was being strongly felt.
Revenue Minister Brij Bihari Lal Butail said the board would have 12-13 members who would be nominated in due course.
The Centre had constituted a committee for division of assets on the basis of population and Waqf property. The resident commissioner at Delhi has been nominated to the committee by the state government as its representative.
The Punjab government has not given the details of the board's property in Himachal Pradesh but identified 500 such properties as per the information sent to the Centre, official sources said.
According to a survey conducted by the state government, about 800 Waqf properties had been identified but the process to start fresh identification would start after an administrator was appointed by the government.
The Centre has decided to divide the assets of the joint Waqf board in the ratio of 61, 34 and 5 among Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Bureau Report