New Delhi February 14, 2014:- The Sachar Committee Report has advocated a stringent approach to counter encroachments and related matters in regard to wakf properties. The Sachar committee in its report, inter-alia, has recommended that the Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 should be applied to remove encroachment from Waqf properties and arrears of rent, at market rates, should be recovered as arrear of land revenue. The Sachar Committee has also mentioned about the Waqf properties under occupation of the Governments and their agencies.
To protect the waqf properties from encroachment and for better administration of auqaf in the county, the Wakf Act, 1995, has been amended by the Central Government and the Wakf (Amendment) Act, 2013 has come into force with effect from 1st November, 2013. The Central Government is also proposing to bring a standalone legislation on the lines of Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 to protect waqf properties from encroachment.
This was stated by Shri Ninong Ering, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs in response to a written question in Lok Sabha today.
