“The UMEED Portal will add a new chapter in the history of Waqf property management and administration in India. It will not only bring transparency but will also help the common Muslims, particularly women and children,” said Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, after launching the UMEED Central Portal in New Delhi today.
The portal, developed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, was officially inaugurated in the presence of Shri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs.
Calling it a historic step, Shri Rijiju emphasized that the UMEED Central Portal is more than just a technological upgrade. “It is a symbol of the government’s firm commitment to safeguarding the rights of minority communities and ensuring that community owned Waqf assets are utilized effectively and fairly, for the poor Muslims, for whom, it was originally meant,” he added.
The UMEED Central Portal, short for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995 will serve as a centralized digital platform for real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties. The portal is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in how Waqf assets are administered across India by introducing greater transparency, accountability, and public participation.
Key Features of the Portal are:
- Creation of a digital inventory with geo-tagging of all Waqf properties
- 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
Shri George Kurian, addressing the gathering, said the Portal is a long-awaited reform that will curb misuse and bring Waqf administration closer to the people. He added, “The system ensures that every property is accounted for and used in accordance with the purpose it was endowed for.”
The Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar said that he expected the UMEED Portal to become the backbone of digital Waqf governance, thereby ensuring that the Waqf assets contribute meaningfully to education, healthcare, livelihood generation and social welfare, especially for underprivileged sections within the Muslim community.
