However, a task force under the Principal Secretary (revenue) had pointed out that around 70% of these lands were under illegal occupation, encroached upon or transferred
To generate revenues for the welfare of the Muslim community, the state government is planning to monetise the huge parcels of Wakf lands spread across Maharashtra.
State government statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acre 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 per cent of these lands — most of which are prime properties — were under illegal occupation, encroached upon or transferred.
"Around 30 per cent of these lands are unencumbered. There are legal provisions which allow these lands to be leased out for purposes like charity, commercial use, agriculture, and set up of schools, colleges, hospitals, and educational institutions. The government is thinking on these lines," a senior state minority welfare department official told DNA. This will also prevent these parcels from being encroached upon. Instructions will be given to the Wakf board on the issue.
"It will generate revenues to the tune of crores, which can be used for the welfare of the community," he said, adding that the Wakf lands could also be used for setting up educational institutions, which in turn would help students from the minority community.
Shabbir Ahmed Ansari of the Tehreek-e-Auqaf welcomed the move and pointed to how these lands could be used for farming, commercial use, etc. He added that the neighbouring state Karnataka, had established hospitals and nursing homes on Wakf lands, too.
The state government has already launched a pilot project in Pune and Parbhani districts to map and measure Wakf lands and the encroachments on them and clean their records to prevent them from being transferred illegally. The last such survey was conducted in 2002.
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.
WHAT IS WAKF
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.
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