Demand intensified for revision of rents of Wakf properties

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Wakf Board (TSWB), which solely counts on government funds, has intensified its demand for revision of rents of Wakf properties amidst the growing outrage over a fund crunch. The properties have been occupied by tenants since decades and even as the market rate has jumped several folds over the years, the rental rate remains insignificantly small.

Raising concern over the plight of the fund crunch, TSWB Moulana member Abul Fateh Bandagi Badshah Quadri gave a call for boycott of the tenants who are paying paltry amount as rents much against the actual market rate. "Most of the tenants of the Wakf Board are paying paltry amounts as rents, only to cause heavy revenue damage to the fund-crunched Board. While tenants continue to solemnise on lavish ceremonies of their family members, they have never given a second thought on increasing the rent for the properties without ever considering the plight of the board," he blamed.

"Before accepting invitations, people should enquire and ask whether they are paying rents appropriately to the Wakf board, irrespective of their enjoyment on good earnings," he said, adding that "The defaulters name should also be made public and must be duly displayed on the notice board, suspending them inside the Wakf board and the concerned shrines in the districts."

Endorsing over the boycott call against the tenants fleecing the board, Syed Meeraj, a Wakf activist said, "Impassive attitude of the tenants has led to a situation wherein the Wakf board has found itself to be helpless to introduce any welfare scheme for poor Muslims on its own. In such a scenario, increasing the revenue of the Wakf Board through the revision of rents is a need of the hour as the body is facing financial challenges and largely counts on government funds to implement welfare schemes for poor Muslim families."