39 lakh acres waqf land in india

[Mancode]

 

 

Determining the exact amount of land occupied by Waqf Boards in India after 2013 is challenging due to varying estimates, incomplete official records, and ongoing disputes. However, based on available data and statements from credible sources, here’s an analysis of the situation as of April 3, 2025.

The Waqf Board, a collective of state-level bodies managing properties dedicated for Muslim religious or charitable purposes under the Waqf Act, is often cited as one of India’s largest landowners, following the Indian Railways and the Armed Forces. The Waqf Act of 1995, amended in 2013, expanded the boards’ powers to claim and manage properties, leading to significant growth in their land holdings.

Before 2013, the Waqf Boards reportedly controlled around 4 lakh acres (approximately 1,619 square kilometers) of land, according to estimates from the 2009 Waqf Management System of India (WAMSI) data referenced in various reports. The Sachar Committee Report of 2006 pegged it at about 6 lakh acres (2,428 square kilometers), though this figure is debated. By 2013, Home Minister Amit Shah stated in Parliament in 2025 that Waqf holdings stood at 18 lakh acres (7,284 square kilometers) over the century from 1913 to 2013, reflecting a broader historical accumulation.

Post-2013, after the 2013 amendment to the Waqf Act, which enhanced the boards’ ability to designate properties as Waqf with fewer legal challenges, the land under Waqf control reportedly grew significantly. Shah, during a debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, claimed that between 2013 and 2025, an additional 21 lakh acres (8,498 square kilometers) were added, bringing the total to 39 lakh acres (15,783 square kilometers). This suggests that in the 12 years following 2013, the Waqf Boards more than doubled their holdings from the 100-year period prior.

However, these figures are contested. The Ministry of Minority Affairs, via WAMSI, reported in 2023 that Waqf Boards managed 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres (3,804 square kilometers) nationwide, with an estimated value of ₹1.2 lakh crore. This number aligns with earlier government statements and is frequently cited in media and parliamentary discussions. If the pre-2013 figure was indeed 4–6 lakh acres, the increase post-2013 would range from 3.4 to 5.4 lakh acres (1,376–2,185 square kilometers), a substantial but less dramatic rise than Shah’s claim of 21 lakh acres.

The discrepancy arises from multiple factors:

• Data Variability: Official records like WAMSI’s are often outdated or incomplete. The last nationwide Waqf survey was in 1970, and post-2013 surveys mandated every ten years have been inconsistent due to budget and staffing issues.
• Encroachment Claims: Critics argue that the 2013 amendment allowed Waqf Boards to claim properties—sometimes controversially, like ancestral farmlands or temples—without robust evidence, inflating totals. Examples include disputes in Karnataka (2024) and Tamil Nadu (2022).
• Political Rhetoric: Shah’s 39 lakh-acre figure may reflect a broader narrative push during the Waqf Bill debate, possibly including disputed or encroached lands not yet officially registered.

Given the most consistent government data, the Waqf Boards held 9.4 lakh acres by 2023, implying an increase of roughly 3.4–5.4 lakh acres from a pre-2013 baseline of 4–6 lakh acres. Shah’s higher estimate of 21 lakh acres added post-2013, if accurate, would mean a total far exceeding WAMSI’s records, possibly accounting for unregistered or contested claims up to 2025. Without a comprehensive, updated survey—unlikely to exist by April 2025—the precise increase remains uncertain.

Thus, the land “occupied” (registered or claimed) by Waqf Boards after 2013 likely ranges from 3.4 lakh acres (1,376 square kilometers) at the conservative end to 21 lakh acres (8,498 square kilometers) per Shah’s statement, with the lower figure better supported by documented records as of now. For a definitive answer, an official audit post-2013 would be needed, which has not been fully conducted or publicized by April 2025.

 

 

 

 

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https://x.com/Lotus_indrajit/status/1907610319075041479?t=ipsbJuaZyXkLlc6WBVDFvg&s=19 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AndhraAbbai]

Kadapa, kurnool, nellore ithe chala darunalu unnayi

[Raisins_72]

@psycontr endhi ba late ayyindhi, inkA Yedavatam start cheyaledha Modi/Waqf board meedha 😃😃

[psycontr]

1 minute ago, Raisins_72 said:

@psycontr endhi ba late ayyindhi, inkA Yedavatam start cheyaledha Modi/Waqf board meedha 😃😃

anna manam 80% anna