Karnataka: Steps to be taken to reclaim encroached Wakf properties

State Wakf Board Chairman N K Muhammed Shafi Sa Adi said that all steps will be taken to reclaim the encroached wakf properties in the state.

Legal action will be initiated against those irrespective of their background, who have encroached Wakf properties in the state.

There are 1.17 lakh acre Wakf properties in Karnataka, of which nearly 75,000 acre has encroached. Efforts were made to encroach 300 acres of Wakf properties in Yadgiri and other places. The legal fight over the encroached Wakf properties is being accelerated in the state to reclaim the encroached properties, he told media persons.

The Wakf Board has given the emphasis on conducting a second survey of the newly registered properties in the state. During the survey, 12,055 properties were identified in 152 taluks in the state.

Of the identified properties during the survey, the details of wakf properties in 49 taluks have been notified in the state gazette. The remaining are in progress. All the Wakf institutions have been asked to submit their audit report within three months. About 20 per cent of the audit work has been completed so far, he said.

The work on digitisation of Wakf properties is in progress.

The Wakf Board will also take steps for the development of Wakf properties by setting up schools, colleges, hospitals, and commercial complexes.

The Wakf Board Chairman said that the Board has sought budgetary allocation of Rs 377 crore in the state budget.

The officials have been directed to implement Waqf Properties Lease Rules 2014 (Amendment-2020) strictly. There are incidents of subleasing out the Wakf properties, which is a violation of the rules. Without the proper implementation of lease rules, the Wakf properties have failed to generate income.

He said that the Wakf Board will lay the foundation for the IAS training centre, an educational institution in Bengaluru in the month of March.

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