Maharashtra Sets Up Special Benches For Waqf Land Disputes

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has directed the establishment of special benches under all Divisional Commissioners to expedite the disposal of disputes involving Waqf Board entries on privately owned and ancestral lands across the state.

This decision was made while chairing a review meeting at Mantralaya, where Bawankule stated that the special benches would examine the factual status of disputed land records and ensure their speedy and uniform resolution.

The minister reviewed a case involving alleged Waqf Board entries on the land of tribal farmers in Darebhangi village of the Kalwan–Surgana Assembly constituency in Nashik district. MLA Nitin Pawar attended the meeting, while the Nashik District Collector participated via video conference.

Bawankule said such disputes are not confined to Nashik and have surfaced in other parts of Maharashtra as well. To ensure timely and consistent disposal of similar cases, the government has decided to constitute special benches headed by the respective Divisional Commissioners.

During the meeting, the Revenue Minister also directed officials to expedite the process of restoring Aakari fallow lands in Dhaner Digar, Kharde Digar and Punad Nagar villages to their original landowners. He further instructed the department to submit a proposal for funding and construction of a new Revenue administrative building in Surgana, an aspirational taluka.

Reiterating the government's focus on administrative efficiency, Bawankule said the Revenue Department should aim for 'zero pendency' so that citizens do not have to make repeated visits to government offices. He emphasised that cases relating to the land rights of tribal communities should be accorded the highest priority and resolved within stipulated timelines.

The establishment of special benches is expected to bring relief to many landowners who have been embroiled in disputes over Waqf Board entries. The move is also seen as a step towards improving administrative efficiency and ensuring that citizens' grievances are addressed in a timely manner.

The Maharashtra government has been working to resolve various land-related disputes across the state, and the setting up of special benches is a significant step in this direction. With the special benches in place, the government aims to ensure that all land-related disputes are resolved quickly and efficiently, bringing relief to affected landowners.

In a related development, the Maharashtra government is also working to release ₹13,336-crore farm loan waiver benefits to 16.96 lakh farmers within two days. This move is expected to bring significant relief to farmers who have been struggling to repay their loans.

Overall, the setting up of special benches to resolve Waqf land entry disputes is a positive step towards improving administrative efficiency and ensuring that citizens' grievances are addressed in a timely manner. It is expected to bring relief to many landowners and help resolve long-pending disputes over Waqf Board entries.

The move is also seen as a step towards ensuring that the land rights of tribal communities are protected and their grievances are addressed in a timely manner. With the special benches in place, the government aims to ensure that all land-related disputes are resolved quickly and efficiently, bringing relief to affected landowners and promoting administrative efficiency in the state.