Ministry Of Minority Affairs Issues Funds to Central Waqf Council for Deployment Of Man Power
(Judicial Quest News Network)
As per provisions of Section 32 of the Waqf Act 1995 as amended, general superintendence of the waqf properties in a State is vested with the State/UT Waqf Boards (SWBs). 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 released to CWC which provides the same to SWBs for deployment of manpower viz. Assistant Programmer, Survey Assistant, Accountant and Legal Assistant, computerization & digitization of records of waqf properties, GIS Mapping of waqf properties, setting up of Video Conferencing Facility, maintenance of Centralized Computing Facility (CCF), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solution for better administration of SWBs. During financial years (2014-15 to 2020-21) an amount of Rs.55.86 crore has been released to SWBs under the scheme by CWC. As per the information available on dedicated online portal called WAMSI (Waqf Assets Management System of India), so far records of 7,49,552 (Seven Lakh Forty Nine Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty Two) immovable waqf properties have been entered in WAMSI Registration Module and GIS Mapping of 1,88,476 (One Lakh Eighty Eight Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Six) waqf properties have been done. For the first time 3,31,872 (Three Lakh Thirty One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Two) records of waqf properties 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. Under the scheme, CWC has given loan of Rs.62.93 crore to the waqf institutions in the country and executed 155 numbers of projects in 16 States. Further, out of revolving fund the CWC has advanced loan to 101 numbers of projects in 12 States. In addition, this Ministry is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram (PMJVK) in 1300 identified Minority Concentrated Areas (MCAs), under which socio-economic infrastructure and basic amenities are provided for improving the quality of life of the people living in the area.
The Waqf Boards are established by the State Governments under the provisions of sections 13 &14 of the Waqf Act, 1995. The Board is a body corporate having perpetual succession. As per Waqf Act, 1995, “waqf” means the permanent dedication by any person of any movable or immovable property for pious, religious, or charitable purposes. The waqf properties are managed by mutawallis, managing committees and others under the general superintendence of the State Waqf Boards, especially as per the provisions of Section 32 of the Waqf Act, 1995, as amended.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.