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. Further, as per Section 54 and 55 of the Waqf Act, Chief Executive Officer of SWB has power to take legal action against unauthorized occupation and encroachment of Waqf properties. Complaints related to encroachment of Waqf properties which are usually received in this Ministry are hence forwarded to the concerned SWBs for taking appropriate action as per the provisions of Waqf Act 1995 as amended.
Further, Ministry of Minority Affairs implements Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) for better administration of Waqf properties and to safeguard and prevent encroachment of Waqf properties. Under QWBTS financial assistance is provided to SWBs towards computerization & digitization of records of Waqf properties, GIS Mapping of Waqf properties, maintenance of Centralized Computing Facility (CCF), Enterprise Resource Planning Solution (ERP) and also for deployment of manpower viz. Retired Tehsildars/Retired Patwaris as a Mutation Assistants to complete the process of mutation of un-mutated waqf properties, GIS-Digitization supervisor, Assistant Programmer, Mutawalli Change Support Assistant, Mutawalli Return Support Assistant, Leasing Support Assistant, Litigation Tracking Support Assistant, Zonal Waqf Officers, Survey Assistant and Data Entry Operator. So far records of 8,02,538 immovable Waqf properties have been entered in WAMSI Registration Module and GIS Mapping of 2,54,533 Waqf properties have been done. For the first time 3,32,344 records of Waqf estates have been digitized.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
