Continuous demands from poor Muslims to regulate waqf properties: Rijiju

With the government likely to table in Parliament a bill to amend the Wakf Act, 1995, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiu on Monday said that continuous demands and representations were made by common Muslims to make regulation of waqf properties more transparent and efficient.

He, however, did not comment on the bill during his brief intercation with reporters.

The bill, which was recently passed by the Union Cabinet, has not been introduced in Parliament yet.

"For a long time there have been continuous demands and representations from the poor and common Muslims, including women, to make waqf properties more transparent and efficient," Rijiju said.

The bill to amend the Wakf Act will make it mandatory for waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure their actual valuation. There are 30 waqf boards in the country.

Sources said the revenue generated by all waqf properties was estimated at Rs 200 crore per annum.

This is not in sync with the