Vijayawada: Amid objections from some of its members, the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board has decided to lease out 233 acres of prime Waqf land in Guntur city to the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) for the development of an MSME park. The land, valued at approximately 2,000 crore, will be sub-leased by APIIC to private industries.The waqf board chairman Abdul Azeez defended the move saying that that they were not selling the land to APIIC in order to protect the land title. The board has resolved to give the land on long-term lease to APIIC. “We are giving the land on lease without changing ownership and title. Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has instructed us to ensure that board earns steady income to take up welfare activities for the minorities,” said Abdul Azeez.Sources said the state got had directed the waqf board to transfer the land to APIIC to avoid controversy over direct allocation to private entities. However, some board members expressed strong opposition, arguing that leasing the land is tantamount to losing it permanently. “It will be extremely difficult to reclaim the land once leased, especially if tenants default on rent,” said board member and YSRCP MLC Mohammed Ruhulla. Board chairman Abdul Azeez turned down the charge saying that they would take all possible measures to protect the land title. He alleged that the previous YSRCP govt had failed to help waqf board make revenue even from the central schemes. He alleged that previous regime diverted 386 crore of Waqf funds.
