Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said that under “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram” (PMJVK), the Minority Affairs Ministry will construct schools, colleges, ITIs, skill development centres, multi-purpose community centres “Sadbhav Mandap”, “Hunar Hub”, hospitals, business centres etc on waqf properties across the country. This will be for the first time after the Independence of the country.

In his address at a day-long National Waqf Conference in New Delhi, Shri Naqvi said that last week, the Union Cabinet approved “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram” which has provision to utilise Waqf properties for various infrastructure for socio-economic-educational empowerment of the society.  308 districts, 870 blocks, 331 towns and thousands of villages have been covered under “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram”. He said that PMJVK will accelerate the utilisation of Waqf properties for the benefit of the society. There are around five lakhs seventy one thousands registered waqf properties across the country. 

Shri Naqvi said that the Waqf rules are being made easy and effective to ensure better utilisation of Waqf properties and to free these properties, several of these entangled in   disputes for several decades, from disputes.  Waqf properties in several states are not being utilised properly due to complicated rules. He said that the Central Government will award those “Mutawallis” who will perform well in management of waqf properties to ensure utilisation of these properties for betterment of the society especially educational empowerment of girls. This award programme will be held every year. Shri Naqvi said that “Waqf Mutawallis” are the “custodian” of waqf properties across the country and they should ensure that these properties are being utilised for betterment of the Muslim community.

Shri Naqvi said that Central Waqf Council is providing financial help to state waqf boards for digitalisation of waqf records so that state waqf boards can complete digitalisation work within decided timeframe as 84 per cent waqf properties already have been digitised. Remaining waqf properties will also be digitised soon. Two legal support officers, 2 Zonal waqf officers, 2 surveyors are being appointed by Central Waqf Council in state waqf boards for preservation, maintenance, development of waqf properties and related legal matters.

Shri Naqvi said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Central Waqf Council is also helping those institutes which are being established and those who are running on waqf properties and are engaged in educational activities especially educational empowerment of girls.

Member of Parliament Shri Hussain Dalwai, J&K Minority Affairs Minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali, Secretary, Minority Affairs Ministry, Shri Ameizing Luikham, Jt. Secretary Shri Jan-e-Alam, Central Waqf Council Secretary Shri B M Jamal, Chairmen and CEOs from all state waqf boards and other officials were present on the occasion. The National Waqf Conference was organized to review the progress of the implementation of Waqf Act 1995 as amended, Waqf Properties Lease Rule’ 2014 and “Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme”.

The conference also reviewed the status of “Quami Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme” implemented by Central Waqf Council. Two schemes, which were implemented separately as “Computerisation of the Records of State Waqf Boards” and “Scheme of Strengthening of State Waqf Boards” by CWC and NAWADCO respectively, have now been clubbed together for achieving optimum results to make the State Waqf Boards self-reliant leading to better implementation of their welfare activities for betterment of the community.

About Rs 48 crore have been earmarked for the "Quami Waqf Board Tarakkityat Yojana" and transparent digital record of waqf properties and to free them from encroachment through GIS/GPS mapping of the waqf properties.

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JN/FH/IA