UP mulls roping in private parties to develop Wakq properties

Lucknow, Apr 4 (UNI) Admitting mismanagement of 1.25 lakh Wakf properties in Uttar Pradesh, the state government is chalking out a comprehensive plan to develop such properties commercially on joint-venture basis.

High level teams would be sent to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan to study their initiatives to develop wakf properties by roping in private parties.

The need of developing Wakf properties arose since Uttar Pradesh has been unable to check the encroachment of valuable Wakf properties in the state by land mafias.

Taking a cue from Maharashtra and Karnataka, where the prime properties are developed by roping in private partners, the Uttar Pradesh government has chalked out an ambitious scheme plan in this regard.

UP Muslim Wakf department has already submitted a proposal for cabinet approval.

''I will personally visit the various states where public-private ventures have been undertaken with a twin purpose of protecting wakf land and properties from land mafias and develop these to evolve viability for Muslim welfare in general,'' UP Muslim Wakf minister Shakir Ali told UNI here.

Mr Ali proposed to visit Rajasthan later this week to have first hand view of the wakf properties being developed. He added that even the BJP-ruled statea like Rajasthan had better planning for management of Wakf propoerties than Uttar Pradesh.

As per initial survey and estimation, there was a potential for an annual investment of Rs 5,000 crore in developing commercial and residential complexes on Wakf properties in Uttar Pradesh, he said.

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