Waqf Bill gets RS nod

A bill aimed at checking rampant encroachment of Waqf properties and to make them commercially viable by extending their lease period to a maximum of thirty years was passed by Rajya Sabha today.
Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan said the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2010, will ensure proper commercial utilisation of Waqf property and generate revenue to the tune of Rs one lakh crore annually, sufficient for socio-economic development of the entire Muslim community.
The bill to bring changes in the Waqf Act, 1995, carries proposals to strengthen Waqf institutions and streamline their functioning.
The bill was earlier passed by Lok Sabha in May 2010. It was, however, referred to a select committee when it came up in Rajya Sabha on August 27, 2010 amid vociferous objections to some of its provisions from some Muslim bodies including All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

Lauding the efforts of the committee as well as the Joint Parliamentary Committee which suggested several amendments, Khan said under the Amendment Bill, the "Central Government will have powers to issue directions to state Waqf boards and the directions will be mandatory. If the state disputes, then it has to be settled by the tribunal."
The amended bill will now go back to the Lok Sabha to endorse the changes approved by the Upper House.

Khan admitted that under the present law, the Waqf Boards in the states were not functioning properly.
Noting that survey of the Waqf property is important, he said that from now on "all survey work has to be completed within one year and the states should appoint a surveyor for the purpose".

"There are four lakh registered Waqf properties across the country and if they they are developed properly the income generated from these properties, which is about Rs 6000 crore at present is expected to go up to Rs one lakh crore.
"This would be sufficient for taking up socio-economic development of the Muslim community," the Minister said.
The government, he said, will maintain the list of Waqf properties and not the Waqf boards.