Background

The Waqf Properties are spread out all over the country but even the basic survey of waqf properties have not been completed in most of the States. There is hardly any development of Waqf Properties and therefore, a very substantial income that the Waqf Properties could have generated for the welfare schemes of the community, are lost every year. There is also large scale encroachment of Waqf Properties.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf, submitted its 9th report to the Parliament on 23-10-2008 which recommended computerization of the records of State Waqf Boards at an estimated cost of Rs.25 Crore, apart from other recommendations. The recommendations pertaining to Computerization were approved by the Government of India with an initial token grant of Rs.10 Crores in BE2009-10 by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India.

Objectives

As recommended by Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf in its 9th Report, the Scheme for "Computerization of records of the State Wakf Boards" was launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, to streamline record keeping, introduce transparency, and to computerize the various functions & processes of the Waqf Boards and to develop a single web-based centralized software application.

In this Scheme, Central financial assistance is given to the State Waqf Boards for setting-up of ICT Infrastructure, Technical Manpower for initial hand-holding period for Managing & Operating the ICT Infrastructure and Software Applications, Imparting Training and Knowledge Transfer to the State Waqf Boards Staff for Managing & Operating the ICT Infrastructure and Software Applications and Data Management Life Cycle during & at the end of hand-holding period and general maintenance assistance during the Hand-holding period.

The broad objectives of computerizing the records of the State Waqf Boards are:

• Waqf Properties Registration Management,
• Annual Returns Filing of assessable Waqf Properties Management,
• Transparency in Leasing of Waqf Properties under Direct Management of Waqf Board,
• Litigations (Internal as well as External Hon'ble Courts) Tracking Management,
• Waqf Properties Ownership establishing Documents Archiving & Retrieval Management,
• GIS of Waqf Properties using GPS Field Survey alongwith Photographs of Waqf Properties,
• Funds Management to Mosques, Durgah, Kabristan, Imams, Muazzins, Widows, Girls Marriages, Scholarships, Schools, Hospitals, Dispensaries, Musafirkhanas, Skill Development Centres, etc.,
• Loans Management for Development Of Urban Waqf Properties.