Source: NIE
Context: The Centre will launch the UMEED Portal on 6 June 2025 to digitize and streamline Waqf property registration in line with the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
About UMEED Portal:
- What It Is?
- UMEED stands for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development. It is a centralized digital platform for registering and regulating Waqf properties across India.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs, in coordination with State Waqf Boards and judicial authorities.
- Objectives of the Portal:
- Ensure transparent and time-bound registration of Waqf properties.
- Empower beneficiaries with digital access to rights, obligations, and legal safeguards.
- Resolve long-standing property disputes and enhance accountability.
- Facilitate policy-level insights through real-time data and geotagged mapping.
- Key Features of UMEED Portal:
- Time-Bound Registration: All Waqf properties must be registered within 6 months of launch.
- Geotagging and Digitization: Properties must include precise measurements and geolocation data during registration.
- Dispute Resolution Trigger: Unregistered properties after deadline will be declared disputed and sent to Waqf Tribunal.
- User Support Services: Provides legal awareness tools and clarifies rights under amended law.
- Women-Centric Provision: Properties under women’s names cannot be designated as Waqf, but women, children, and EWS will remain eligible beneficiaries.
About Waqf Properties:
- What is Waqf?
- Waqf is a permanent charitable endowment under Islamic law where property is donated for religious or public welfare use. It cannot be sold, inherited, or transferred.
- Key Reforms in Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025:
- Appeals Mechanism Introduced: Decisions of Waqf Tribunals are now appealable in High Courts within 90 days—ensuring judicial oversight.
- Mandatory Digital Registration: Introduced a strict 6-month deadline for all Waqf property registrations.
- Tribunal Empowerment: Unregistered properties post-deadline will be automatically flagged as disputed and adjudicated by Waqf Tribunals.
- Stronger Government Oversight: Enhanced monitoring by State Waqf Boards and increased regulation of trusteeship.
