VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Wakf Board chairman Shaik Abdul Azeez on Wednesday made it clear the Wakf Board is not selling properties and the Board is leasing the properties for three years.
Azeez said the Wakf Board was functioning under the control of State government and all transactions were being carried out online from April 1 onwards.
He said the Wakf Board members are only trustees and they would take steps to prevent encroachments.
Addressing the media at the state Wakf Board office, he said the State Wakf Board has 69,000 acres land and 36,000 acres was encroached. The Wakf Board has been using the income on Wakf properties for the maintenance of offices, payment of salaries and meeting other expenses.
He said records of the Wakf Board were still in Hyderabad and 70 per cent of Wakf Funds were in Telangana. Azeez said he met the Telangana wakf board chairman recently in Hyderabad and discussed the transfer of records and funds to AP.
Referring to encroachment of Wakf lands, he said the lands were encroached due to not utilisation of lands. The chairman said the Wakf Board decided to impart education to 200 Muslim students and give skill development training to them. He said the Wakf Board was getting very low rents and a Rents Review Committee will be formed.
He said the Wakf Board has powers to lease the lands for three years only and the State government will lease the lands for more than three years of time.
He said Expression of Interest was invited for construction of projects on lease basis and stated some companies from Dubai and UK came forward for using the land for commercial purposes.
He said the State government will take a decision on inviting tenders or choosing the companies.
He alleged that the Wakf Board during the Erstwhile Andhra Pradesh neglected the Andhra region.
He said the Wakf Board was reviewing with the officials on increase of income. The Wakf properties will be used for the welfare of poor.
He said the AP Wakf Board has not implemented welfare schemes for the poor since Independence.
