Hyderabad: The TS government is contemplating providing judicial powers to the Wakf Board and ban registration of Wakf properties by amending the Registration and Transfer of Properties Act, besides taking other steps to protect the properties and check encroachments.
Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali gave this assurance in the Legislative Council on Thursday when Congress and other members expressed anguish over misuse of Wakf properties in TS.
“We will provide judicial powers to the Wakf Board. We are working out the modalities. We will protect every Wakf property. Rents from Wakf properties are quite low and there is also shortage of staff,” he said.
Intervening, finance minister Etela Rajender said that not an inch of Wakf land has been encroached since the TRS came to power. He accused the previous Congress government of neglecting Wakf properties.
Mr Rajender also made some comments that prompted a walkout by Congress members. Mr Rajender later withdrew his comments. Mr Mahmood Ali said orders have been issued constituting District Wakf Protection and Coordination Committees. He placed copies of 1997-1999 House committee report on Wakf properties and the ATR.
Of the 84 recommendations made by the House committee, the government and Wakf Board implemented 39 recommendations in full, 10 recommendations in part and 35 are pending implementation and under examination, he said. There are 33,929 Wakf institutions having 77,538.07 acres in TS. All institutions in the 10 districts of the state are notified in the gazette.
