NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Minority Affairs’ move to commercially develop the land owned by Waqf Board has hit a wall, with only Bengaluru providing three properties for development.
The government has been planning to utilise the 4.9 lakh registered Waqf properties across the country to generate whopping revenue of Rs. 12,000 crore. The amount in turn, it claimed could have been used for community welfare.
“No Waqf property has been developed by National Waqf Development Corporation Ltd. (NAWADCO). However, initial work i.e. feasibility, building plans and cost estimation on three Waqf properties in Bengaluru has been started,” Ministry of Minority Affairs’ official told the Express.
The Government of India established National Waqf Development Corporation with a budget Rs. 500 crores with initial paid-up capital of Rs.100 crores to develop the invaluable Waqf properties in the country.
“Karnataka State Board of Auqaf has offered three Waqf properties in Bengaluru for development and the same has been placed before the Board of Directors of NAWADCO,” the official added.
The Indian Government’s Navratna organisation NBCC limited has also acquiesced to develop these properties and is incurring the initial expenditure. NAWADCO so far has not incurred by NAWADCO on these properties so far.
In the 75th meeting of the Central Waqf Council, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had flagged the issue of land mafia illegally occupying the Waqf land in collusion with waqf officials. Naqvi contended that the mafias were scuttling the development and utilisation of the Waqf properties.
The Minority Affairs Ministry has been planning to develop these properties commercially and institutionally and by building malls, schools, hostels and offices. The Waqf Board has 6 lakh acres of land, with five lakh registered properties under it.