Owais Gul
Srinagar, Aug 19: After removing the Mujavirs and their donation boxes from the shrines across the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf board is now mulling to revise the rates of their properties across the Union Territory as per recommendations of Rent Review Committee of 2015-2016.
Official sources within the Waqf informed that many shopkeepers holding the Waqf shops are still paying meagre amount as monthly rent for the shops, fixed by the authorities decades ago.
“The rates were increased by 120 per cent on April 01, 2018, but still the rent is meagre,” they said, adding that there is no fixed rent for all the shops and other establishments as the rates vary from place to place.
They further informed that the authorities have now decided to revise the rent agreement of shops and other establishments belonging to Waqf.
Sources said that at a few places, the shopkeepers holding the Waqf shops have been asked to reach its head office in order to fix the new rent agreement. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.
A top official of Waqf, when contacted, said that the rates will be revised soon. “The process has been started to fix new rent agreements with the shopkeepers, who are holding the Waqf shops and other establishments,” the official added.
Meanwhile, Executive Magistrate Tehsildar, J&K Waqf Board has also issued a public notice in this regard on 11-08-2022, which reads that as per the decision taken in the 4th Board meeting on 21-07-2022 the rent of all Waqf properties shall be revised as per recommendations of Rent Review Committee of 2015-2016, and arrears shall be calculated on the basis of 25th board meeting decision w.e.f 01-04-2018.
