Antulay urges Gogoi to exempt waqf properties from 1955 Act

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay has urged Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to exempt Waqf properties from the purview of a law that has deprived the Waqf Board of a substantial amount of revenue.

In a letter to Mr Gogoi, Mr Antulay said the Assam Non-Agricultural Urban Areas Tenancy Act, 1955 was coming in the way of better utilisation of the Waqf Properties, so its purview should not be extended.

Mr Antulay wrote the letter on the recommendation of the Central Waqf Council that met here yesterday under his chairmanship, Waqf Council Secretary M R Haque told UNI.

Under the Act, if a tenant, who is entitled to build a structure on the rented land, does so within a period of five years from the date of contract, he shall not be evicted by the landlord from the tenanacy on the ground of non-payment of rent.

Mr Haque said the Council was also studying the effect of Rent Control Act of various states to understand what kind of relief should be sought.

The Waqf Board was suffering massive losses because of illegal occupation of its properties, Mr Haque said.

However, he said the exact figures could be given only after the survey was completed.

The Council in its meeting also approved a proposal to set up a National Waqf Development Corporation with a authorised capital of Rs 500 crore for faster development of the Waqf properties, including those in the rural areas.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Antulay said there was an urgent need of streamlining the functioning of the Waqf boards. The Central Waqf Council, an apex body constituted by the Government under the Waqf Act, 1995, can play a vital role if it is empowered to monitor and supervise the functioning of the boards, he said.

He stressed that while protecting the Waqf properties from encroachment, the boards should also take care that not only the income of the said properties was utilised and its benefit reached the community but also its income was enhanced.

Prominent amonmg others who attended the meeting were Deputy chairman K Rahman Khan, MP Haroon Rashid and Syed Shahabuddin.

UNI NAZ AK PC1816