Members of the parliamentary standing committee, regardless of their political affiliation, have called for a strong law to tackle illegal occupation of Waqf property, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptullah has said.
Addressing journalists after witnessing the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) here for imparting of skills in different sectors, she said Bill was before the committee, and the members had expressed their views at the last meeting.
Pointing out that there were six lakh acres of Waqf land/property in the country, she said the government planned to develop them commercially. “We are slowly developing whichever is vacant now.”
At present, the digitisation of Waqf property or land records was under way, and “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is happy with our work,” she said. In the digitisation of records, Tamil Nadu was doing “very well.” She said efforts were being made to link ‘muthavallis’ or trustees of the property with their Aadhaar numbers.
As for Uttar Pradesh Waqf Minister Azam Khan’s demand that Taj Mahal be handed over to the Waqf Board, Ms. Heptullah said: “Taj Mahal is a national asset, and it should be protected.”
Earlier, the MoUs for the sectors of leather, logistics and entertainment were exchanged between D.S. Bist, Managing Director, National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation, and Kamal Haasan, actor and chairperson of the Media and Entertainment Skills Council, a body promoted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
Ms. Heptullah underscored the need for modernising the traditional skills of certain sections of the minorities to cater to the needs of international market.
Mr. Kamal Haasan referred to the scope available in the entertainment industry.
