The government in order to rationalize and improve the income from the Waqf properties has brought in changes through amendments in the the Waqf Act, 1995 in the administration of Waqfs with a view to enhance the income of Waqf Institutions by making best of use of Waqf properties in a commercial way. Further, under section 56 of Waqf Act, 1995 as amended the Central Government has been empowered to make Waqf Properties Lease Rule. Accordingly the Waqf Properties Lease Rules, 2014 was made and in force since June 2014 in order to regularize the rent of the Waqf properties and all the State Waqf Boards (SWBs) have been accordingly informed too. However, as per provisions of Section 32 of the Waqf Act 1995 as amended, general superintendence of all Waqf properties in a State is vested with the State Waqf Board (SWB) and the Waqf Board is empowered to manage the Waqf property.
This Ministry is implementing two schemes namely i) Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) and ii) Shahari Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana (SWSVY) through Central Waqf Council (CWC). Under QWBTS financial assistance is provided to SWBs for deployment of manpower viz. Assistant Programmer, GIS-Digitization supervisor, Mutation Assistants, Mutawalli Change Support Assistant, Mutawalli Return Support Assistant, Leasing Support Assistant, Litigation Tracking Support Assistant, Zonal Waqf Officers, Survey Assistant and Data Entry Operator, setting up of Video Conferencing Facility, maintenance of Centralized Computing Facility (CCF) & E-office Solution for better administration of SWBs. A dedicated online portal called WAMSI (Waqf Assets Management System of India) has also developed by this Ministry for management/tracking of litigation pertaining to Waqfs, computerization & digitization of records of Waqf properties, Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping of Waqf properties to prevent encroachment. So far records of 7,94,875 (Seven Lakh Ninety Four Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Five) immovable Waqf properties have been entered in WAMSI Registration Module and GIS Mapping of 2,44,006 (Two Lakh Forty Four Thousand and Six) Waqf properties have been done. For the first time 3,32,344 (Three Lakh Thirty Two Thousand Three Hundred and Forty Four) records of Waqf estates have been digitized. Under SWSVY, interest free loan is provided to Waqf Institutions/Waqf Boards for taking up economically viable projects on the urban Waqf land such as commercial complexes, marriage halls, hospitals, cold storages etc.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
*****
N Ao//(MoMA_LSQ-3637)