Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board to fund education of 289 orphaned Muslim children in Bhopal

BHOPAL: In what the Madhya Pradesh State Waqf Board describes as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, it will fund the education of 289 orphaned and financially disadvantaged Muslim children in Bhopal using income from a Waqf property designated as a Yateemkhana.

The Board has identified 289 boys and girls whose fathers have died. It will pay each child’s school fees up to Rs 10,000 from the annual income of a property housing a private hospital. The property, donated by its owner to support orphaned children, generates an annual income of more than Rs 21 lakh. The entire proceeds will be used to fund their education.

In Islamic jurisprudence, a Yateem is generally defined as a minor whose father has died. A child who has lost both parents also falls within this definition.

MP State Waqf Board chairman Dr Sanwar Patel said, “After the Waqf Amendment Law came into force, we’re not just committed to freeing the Waqf properties from illegal possession, but also using those properties for funding the welfare of most needy sections of the Muslim community. In line with that the entire proceeds of Rs 21 lakh-plus from a Yateemkhand property in Bhopal will be used to fund the education of orphaned and destitute children.”

“On Tuesday, cheques of up to Rs 10,000 will be provided to each of the 289 identified orphaned and destitute children in Bhopal, who wish to study, but owing to financial problems are finding it hard to pursue their educational dream. This first-of-its kind initiative will be replicated in other districts of the state in the times to come,” Dr Patel told TNIE.

The initiative follows the Board’s decision last year to use income from registered Waqf properties across Madhya Pradesh to support the education of academically promising students from financially weaker sections of the minority community.

As part of that campaign, the Board transferred Rs 1.5 crore last year as annual scholarships of Rs 10,000 each to 1,500 high-school pass-outs. A similar amount has been transferred so far this year to an equal number of students across the state.

More than 400 Waqf properties generating annual incomes of over Rs 1 lakh each are being used to fund the scholarships. Half of the income remaining after meeting the properties’ essential expenses is allocated for the scheme, which covers students who scored more than 60% in their high-school examinations.

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