MP Struggles to Register Waqf Properties on Central ‘UMEED’ Portal

Bhopal: In Madhya Pradesh, the registration of Waqf properties on the central government’s UMEED portal has faced significant delays, with only a small fraction of the properties officially recorded. According to senior state and Waqf officials, over the past six months, out of more than 15,000 Waqf properties in the state, less than ten percent have been successfully registered on the portal.

Central Deadline Approaching
The central government had set a deadline of 6th December for all states to register their Waqf properties on UMEED. Officials cited technical glitches in the portal and incomplete records as the main reasons behind the slow progress. They expressed hope that the government will extend the registration deadline.

Since its launch on 6th June, the central Waqf portal aims to create a comprehensive database of all legal Waqf properties. In Madhya Pradesh, of the 15,000-plus properties, only 1,200 have been registered so far, amounting to less than 10 percent.

National Context
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier noted that India has over 900,000 registered Waqf properties. He emphasized that all states must adhere to the deadlines and ensure that verified property details are uploaded to the portal within six months. Only properties with legal ownership will be included, while illegal or undocumented properties will remain unlisted. Newly created Waqf properties will be added to the database over time.

Technical Issues Identified
Sanwar Patel, Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board, told the Times of India that the portal lacks a column to specify the “method of Waqf” — a key piece of information needed to list properties. Out of the state’s total Waqf properties, 14,164 were officially recorded as Waqf through government surveys. The absence of this column has made it difficult to register these properties on the central portal. Officials hope the technical issues will be resolved soon, and the registration deadline extended.

Registration Process
The registration process on the UMEED portal involves the Mutawalli (caretaker) submitting property details, followed by verification by the Waqf Board and approval by designated government officials. Once the records are verified, the property is entered into the central database. State officials from the Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Department have acknowledged the technical challenges and incomplete property information as reasons for the slow registration process.