In an answer to an oral question at the House of Representatives, asked by the Istiqlali group of Unity and Egalitarianism, Toufiq said that his department has included this program in the plan to promote mosques, launched in 2004, while allocating a budget of 730 million dirhams.
He said that 30 mosques are currently undergoing work at a cost of 130 million dirhams, while 17 others, which will mobilize a sum of 80 million dirhams, are in the study phase, adding that the ministry has conducted a preliminary census of 976 old mosques in the medinas, Ksours, oases and Kasbas to determine the number of historical mosques.
In the same context, Toufiq said that 108 historic mosques were restored and rehabilitated over the past 20 years, with a budget of about 653 million dirhams, adding that the mosque of Sidi Chiker, which is part of these places of worship, was restored in 2012 at a cost of 18 million dirhams.
The Ministry has also conducted a detailed scientific inventory prepared by a team of specialists in architectural and cultural heritage, which has concerned 189 mosques classified as historical heritage of the Kingdom in the cities of Fez, Meknes, Rabat and Casablanca, said the Minister, adding that an inventory of the remaining 83 mosques is being conducted.
In parallel, added the Minister, 100 historic mosques have been listed as monuments, in coordination with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 22-80 on the conservation of historic monuments and sites, inscriptions, objects of art and antiquity.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse