Bhubaneswar, Nov 10 (IANS): A five-member team of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 including its chairman Jagadambika Pal arrived in Bhubaneswar here on Sunday.
A meeting of the JPC with various stakeholders is scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The proposed meeting is a part of JPC's study tour in five cities - Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow - between November 9 and 14 to collect the opinions of various stakeholders in these states on the bill.
Speaking to the media persons, Jagdambika Pal on Sunday said that if the government wished, it could get the Bill passed after it was tabled in the Parliament. But the government took the initiative to refer the bill to a JPC so that the poor Muslims, common people, pasmanda, youth, women, and children can get the benefits of Waqf in a transparent manner.
"We are visiting different states and discussing with people on the proposed amendments introduced in the Waqf act. As part of this, we will hold day-long meetings in Bhubaneswar on Monday to know the sentiments here on the bill [Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024],” said Pal.
On the other hand, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, who is also a member of the JPC, told mediapersons that the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has constituted a JPC comprising 31 members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
She also stated that the Union government aims to introduce the 44 amendments in the Waqf Act, 1995 taking the opinion of all the stakeholders.
She also said that the Waqf Board possesses huge acres of land, so it is the duty of the government to ensure its proper governance and the administration.
The Waqf is a permanent dedication of property by a person for a purpose that is recognised as pious, religious or charitable by Muslim law.
In 1995, the Waqf Act was enacted by the Central government to regulate Waqf properties in the country. However, the act came under criticism over illegal encroachment and mismanagement.
To address the issues, the Central government introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha this August.