Status of Waqf Properties under Encroachment

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.