Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Aug 11: Minister for Horticulture, Hajj and Auqaf, Abdul Rehman Veeri today asked the Auqaf authorities to adopt innovative measures so that its assets are used in an optimum and gainful manner.
The Minister was speaking at a meeting of Administrators of Auqaf Islamia of Jammu division here today.
While reviewing district wise status of development projects of Auqaf, the Minister asserted that adequate steps are being taken for development of Auqaf assets in a time bound manner.
The Minister said that the Auqaf is working under a well knit strategy to provide enhanced facilities at shrines, adding that efforts are afoot to use Auqaf land/assets available in the state for commercial purposes to make it a self reliant and revenue generating unit.
About the encroachment on Auqaf land, Minister directed the Administrators of Auqaf to remove all the encroachments from the Auqaf properties. He directed the Auqaf authorities to submit a detailed report of availability, nature of Auqaf land, status of court cases besides list of encroachers twice a month besides asked them to serve notices so that legal action would be taken against them. He also asked the concerned officers to conduct joint visits at sites located in their respective jurisdictions to closely monitor and assess the potential of Auqaf land so that suitable assets are constructed and also start fencing work on vacant land amicably wherever available.
The Minister also convened a meeting with members of Jamia Masjid Committee Talab Khatikan to review the ongoing renovation work on the Mosque. He was apprised by the committee members that the work is in full swing besides substantial work on basement and ground floor would be completed by the end of this year. The committee members also raised the issue of expansion of road leading to Jamia Masjid. The Minister said that instructions have already been issued to the concerned quarters for eviction of unauthorized shopkeepers at Talab Khatikan who have been allotted alternate shops as compensation so as to start the work on expansion at the earliest.
Earlier in a separate meeting, the Minister reviewed arrangements for annual Haj Pilgrimage which was attended by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, IGP Jammu, Danish Rana, Additional Commissioner, Rehana Batul besides other senior officers of concerned departments.
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