On June 6, 2025, the Indian government will launch the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development) portal, a digital platform to streamline the registration and management of Waqf properties nationwide. Announced on June 2, 2025, the portal, accessible via wamsi.nic.in, follows the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which renamed the Waqf Act, 1995, to enhance transparency and inclusivity. With 872,852 Waqf properties across 9.4 lakh acres, the initiative, overseen by State Waqf Boards, aims to curb disputes, encroachments, and mismanagement while empowering marginalized communities, particularly women and the poor.
In This Article:
Purpose and Features of the UMEED Portal
The UMEED portal, as detailed by Business Standard, mandates the registration of all Waqf properties within six months, requiring detailed documentation like property dimensions and geo-tagged locations. Properties registered under women’s names are ineligible as Waqf, but women, children, and economically weaker sections remain key beneficiaries, per Moneycontrol. The platform builds on the Waqf Assets Management System of India (WAMSI), which has digitized 332,344 records and mapped 253,628 properties, preventing encroachments, as noted by PIB in 2022. It offers support services for understanding rights and obligations under the amended law, ensuring transparency, Election Commission data aids property identification.
Addressing Long-Standing Issues
Waqf Boards, the third-largest landowners in India after the armed forces and Indian Railways, manage assets worth ₹1.2 lakh crore, but face challenges like 13,200 legal disputes and 58,898 encroachments, per Wikipedia. The UMEED portal eliminates the “waqf by user” provision, requiring a formal deed, and empowers District Collectors to resolve ownership disputes, replacing Waqf Boards’ unilateral authority under Section 40. Properties not registered within six months will be marked disputed and referred to tribunals, with appeals now allowed in High Courts within 90 days, per SCC Times, enhancing judicial efficiency.
Inclusivity and Community Empowerment
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, mandates two Muslim women and two non-Muslim professionals on Central and State Waqf Boards, alongside representation from sects like Bohra and Aghakhani, fostering inclusivity. The portal supports redirecting Waqf resources to healthcare, education, and microfinance for marginalized groups, aligning with social justice goals, as noted by Vajiram & Ravi. However, critics, including Asaduddin Owaisi, argue it risks marginalizing Muslims, with petitions pending in the Supreme Court.
-By Manoj H
