Context: Recently, the government has launched the UMEED portal to create a digital inventory after geo-tagging all Waqf properties.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about UMEED portal; Waqf Act.
About UMEED Portal
- UMEED is a centralised digital platform for real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties.
- UMEED is short for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
- Initiative of: Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Key Features of the UMEED Portal:
- Creation of a digital inventory with geo-tagging of all Waqf properties. It generates a 17-digit unique identification number for each property.
- Online grievance redressal system for better responsiveness
- Transparent leasing and usage tracking
- Integration with GIS mapping and other e-Governance tools
- Public access to verified records and reports
Mandatory Registration in the UMEED Portal
- All Waqf properties across the country are required to be registered on the portal within 6 months from the date of launch (June 2025).
- Registrations will be carried out by the respective state Waqf boards.
- Properties that remain unregistered beyond the deadline, and extension (if any) will be classified as disputed and referred to the Waqf tribunal.
- The portal will mandate submission of official documents for registering a Waqf property aiming to prevent the inclusion of illegal or encroached land.
- For properties lacking such documentation, the mutawalli (manager or caretaker of a waqf) will be required to approach the waqf tribunal for verification.
- The portal also includes a field that asks whether the waqf property is located on government land. Since land is a state subject, it will ultimately be up to the state government to confirm or deny whether the land in question is indeed waqf.
The portal launch comes in the backdrop of the enactment of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, in April 2025.
Also Read: Waqf Amendment Act 2025
Significance:
- Introduces greater transparency, accountability, and public participation in the administration of Waqf assets.
- Ensures that every Waqf property is accounted for and used effectively for the endowed purpose, and in the benefit of poor Muslims.
UMEED Portal is expected to become the backbone of digital Waqf governance, ensuring that the Waqf assets contribute meaningfully to education, healthcare, livelihood generation and social welfare, especially for underprivileged sections within Muslim community.