Lok Sabha Question No. 5503 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Functioning of State Wakf Boards
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5503 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## Functioning of State Wakf Boards

## 5503. KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of State Wakf Boards, if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (b) whether the Central Wakf Council is giving financial assistance to State Wakf Boards  to  help  them  complete digitalisation of their records;
- (c) if  so,  the  present  status  of  the  progress  of  the  computerization  scheme  of records of the State Wakf Boards;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  evolved  a  transparent  and  comprehensive system for efficient management of the wakf properties and funds and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether    the    Government    is  providing  help  to  those  Institutes  which  are being  established  on  wakf  properties  and  are  engaged  in  educational activities especially empowerment of girls, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  whether  WAKF  MUTAWALLIS  are  the  custodian  of  wakf  properties  across the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

(a): The Ministry reviews the functioning of State Waqf Boards (SWBs) from time to time by convening Conferences of Chairman & Chief Executive Officers of SWBs, Regional  Review  Meetings  with  regard  to  implementation  of  various  provisions  of Waqf Act, 1995 and progress of implementation of the Schemes of Computerization of Records of SWBs and Strengthening of SWBs which have been merged this year and  renamed  as Qaumi  Waqf  Board  Taraqqiati  Scheme  (QWBTS).  Besides  that Central  Waqf  Council  (CWC)  also  undertakes  visit  of  SWBs  from  time  to  time  to review  their  functioning  as  well  as  capacity  building  of  muttawallis.  The  Central Waqf Council has regulatory powers under Section 9(4) of the amended Waqf Act

1995 to issue directive to the Waqf Boards, if it is satisfied that  there  was  prime facie evidence of irregularity or violation of the provisions of the Act, which shall be complied  with  by  the  concerned  Board  under  intimation  to  the  concerned  State Government. As the outcome of visits of SWBs, various new provisions have been added  in  the  QWBTS  where  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  SWBs  for  GIS Mapping of Waqf Properties, setting up of Video Conferencing Facility, maintenance of Centralized Computing Facility (CCF) and ERP Solution for better administration of SWBs.

(b)  :  Central  Waqf  Council  is  the  Implementing  Agency  for Qaumi  Waqf  Board Taraqqiati  Scheme  ( QWBTS).  Under  the  scheme,  financial  assistance  has  been released  to  SWBs  for  setting  up  of  Centralized  Computing  Facility  (CCF)  to  help them to complete data entry and digitization  of  records  of  waqf  properties.  Funds under the scheme are provided for GIS Mapping, augmenting strength of personnel deployed in SWBs, capacity building of Muttawallis, office automation and so on.

(c) & (d): A web-based centralized software application named as Waqf Management  System  of  India  (WAMSI)  has  been  developed  by  NIC  for  efficient management  of  the  waqf  properties.  The  web-portal  consists  of  four  modules  i) Registration  of  Waqfs,  ii)  Mutawalli  returns  assessments,  iii)  Leasing  details  of properties  and  iv)  Litigation  tracking.  As  on  28.02.2018,  records  of  5,68,724 Immovable Waqf Properties have been entered in WAMSI Registration Module and 2,80,754 records of Waqf Properties have been digitized.

(e): No such Scheme is implemented by the Ministry. However, Central Waqf Council provides interest free loan to Waqf Institutions under the scheme of Grants-in-aid to Waqfs to develop the commercially viable urban waqf properties.

(f): As per Section 3 (i) of Waqf Act, 1995 as amended , Mutawalli means any person appointed  either  verbally  or  under    deed  or  instrument  by  which  a  waqf  has  been created, or by a competent authority, to be the mutawalli of a waqf and includes any person  who  is  a  mutawalli  of  a  waqf  by  virtue  of  any  custom  or  who  is  a  naibmutawalli,  khadim,  mujawar,  sajjadanshin,  amin  or  other  person  appointed  by  a mutawalli to perform the duties of a mutawalli as well as any person, committee or corporation for the time being managing or administering any waqf or waqf property. The details regarding mutawallis are not maintained by the Central Government.

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