Waqf properties in Rajasthan to be videographed

Jodhpur, Feb 4 (PTI) In order to keep a proper record ofthe Waqf properties in the state and keep them free fromencroachments, Rajasthan government is going to carry out avideography of all these properties to ensure their physicalverification and condition.

In the first phase, there will be videography of 3945 suchproperties located in district headquarters. The subsequentphases will include properties at the panchayat level, Waqf,Rural and Panchayati Minister of State Amin Khan said here.

There are 22,100 waqf properties in the state, of whichthe survey of 21735 properties has already been carried out.

Khan said the survey of the remaining 365 properties willbe completed soon.

Expressing concern over growing encroachments on theseproperties, he said this must be checked with the help of theadministration.

The state government has introduced a new rent policy inJuly 2010 regarding the properties.

Khan asked the Waqf committees to issue notices to thetenants to pay the rent according to this policy.

2103 cases relating to these properties are pending indifferent courts and almost all of them are pertaining to theencroachments.

Chairperson of the Waqf Board, Liyakat Ali, said effortsshould be directed towards increase in the revenue of the Waqfproperties.

Ali said for the first time, concern has beenexpressed by any government towards Waqf properties and it hasgiven a grant to the board for the welfare of theseproperties.

Principal Secretary, Rohit R. Branden, said the minoritydepartment of the central government has chalked out a schemefor computerization of the Waqf Boards, the process for whichhas already started.

A state-level coordination committee has been constitutedfor the smooth execution of computerization, he said addingafter its completion, a website of the Board will be launched.