• The Ministry of Minority Affairs has recently launched an additional module on the UMEED Portal—the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development platform—to facilitate maintenance support applications for widows, divorced women, and orphans from Waqf-alal-aulad properties.
• The UMEED Portal is a centralized digital platform that allows registration of Waqf properties across India, promoting transparency and better management.
• The initiative aligns with the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and registrations are facilitated through respective State Waqf Boards. Legal backing is provided under Rule 8(2) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Rules, 2025, framed under Section 3(r)(iv) of the UMEED Act, 1995.
• Under the updated framework, all Waqf properties must be registered within six months of the portal’s launch, including detailed measurements and geotagged locations.
• While properties registered under women’s names are not classified as Waqf properties, women, children, and economically weaker sections remain key beneficiaries. Properties unregistered beyond the permitted period will be treated as disputed and referred to the Waqf Tribunal.
• The new module includes Aadhaar-based beneficiary authentication, online application and approval via State/UT Waqf Boards, and direct benefit transfer (DBT) of maintenance support to bank accounts, ensuring timely and transparent assistance to eligible beneficiaries.