State government statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acres of wakf land spread over about 23,566 registered properties.
In a first step to assess the extent of wakf lands spread out in prime areas across the state, the Maharashtra government has launched a pilot project to map out these properties and the encroachments on them. Once restored, these lands can be used for the welfare of the Muslim community and for purposes like education and employment.
A senior state minority welfare department official told DNA that the pilot project had been launched on Wednesday in the two districts of Pune and Parbhani and would see the wakf lands and the encroachments on them being mapped and measured. “This will also see records of wakf properties being cleaned up to prevent them from being transferred,” he said.
Wakf means the permanent dedication by a person professing Islam, of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by the Muslim law as pious, religious or charitable. The institution of wakf in India is 800 years old and began when Muslim rulers donated huge land parcels for charity.
State government statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acres of wakf land spread over about 23,566 registered properties, with the maximum in Aurangabad division, which was part of the dominion of the Nizam of Hyderabad. However, a task force under the principal secretary (revenue) had pointed out that around 70% of these lands—most of which are prime properties—were under illegal occupation, encroached upon or transferred.
“The pilot project will be conducted in the two districts for six months before it is extended to the rest of the state. Entire Maharashtra will be covered in two years,” the official said.
The assessment is being conducted by Settlement Commissioner and Directorate of Land Records.
The last survey was conducted in 2002 the official said, adding that a fresh survey was happening only one-and-half decade later as against the rule which stipulated that it much happen every 10 years. “It will give us ground-level data about the actual extent of encroachments on the ground,” he noted, adding that remedial measures could be taken later.
A group of Muslims who started a movement to save wakf properties welcomed the move and added that it should now be open to inputs from members of the community.
"We are asking and encouraging community members to ensure that more and more details of wakf property known to them is registered with the government. We have people in different areas who are working towards that. We are also appealing to the government to be open to the inputs given from community members, ensure that they put up posts in several areas and ensure that they give sufficient fund and staff so that the survey is conducted properly," said Aamir Edressey, member of Tehreek-E-Awqaf, an organisation that claims to work on the survey of wakf properties.
Shabbir Ansari of Tehreek-E-Awqaf said that so far, wakf lands been illegally transferred or encroached upon and noted they could be used for education, industry, agriculture and for the welfare of the community.
AT A GLANCE
In 2015, the inquiry commission headed by ATAK Shaikh, a retired district and sessions judge, probing irregularities in management of wakf lands submitted its report indicting officials and politicians for encroachments on these Muslim endowments and their illegal transfer, development and creation of third-party rights.
The names of NCP MP Tariq Anwar (renewal of lease for a property in Aurangabad), former MP Bhaskarrao Patil Khatgaonkar (transfer of wakf land in Nanded), former minister of state for revenue Dr Rajendra Shingane (deletion of land from a certain category), and former Wakf board chief and ex-Congress MLC late MA Aziz also figure in the report.
The commission noted how wakf properties were allocated to builders, were swapped illegally, used to set up petrol pumps, government schools, BSNL towers, societies and were also given out at low rents. Forged papers were also used to take over wakf land at Beed.
In the past, the issue of illegal transfer and sale of wakf lands had exposed differences between Ahmed and then chief minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Fadnavis")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}