Edu institutes to be developed on waqf properties under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram: Naqvi

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today that the government would construct educational institutions, skill development centres, multi-purpose community centres, hospitals among others on waqf properties "for the first time" under the "game-changer" Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK).

At the day-long National Waqf Conference here, Naqvi said that the Union Cabinet had last week approved the PMVJK, which has provisions for developing infrastructure on waqf properties for the socio-economic-educational empowerment of Muslims.

The programme covers 308 districts, 870 blocks, 331 towns, and thousands of villages, the minister said.

He added that the PMJVK would accelerate the utilisation of waqf properties for the benefit of society. There are around 5.71 lakh registered waqf properties across the country.

For the first time after Independence, the ministry will construct schools, colleges, ITIs, skill development centres, multi-purpose community centres, hunar (skill) hubs, hospitals, business centres, etc., on waqf properties across the country under the PMJVK, which will be a game-changer, he said.

Naqvi said waqf rules were being made easy and effective to ensure better utilisation of the properties. Waqf properties in many states were not being utilised properly due to complicated rules, he noted.

Naqvi said that the central government would award the mutawallis (trustees/caretakers) who would ensure better utilisation of waqf properties for the betterment of society, particularly for the education of girls.

He said that the Central Waqf Council was providing financial help to state waqf boards for digitisation of waqf records so that they could complete the digitisation work within the decided time frame. 84 per cent waqf of the properties have already been digitised, he added.

The remaining waqf properties would also be digitised soon, he added.

Jammu and Kashmir Minority Affairs Minister Choudhary Zulfkar Ali, Member of Parliament Hussain Dalwai, chairpersons of state waqf boards and senior officials were present on the occasion.