UMEED for inclusive reform: A new dawn in Waqf governance | Opinion

By Vineeta Hariharan: This is a reform whose time has come—a reform to uplift the noble cause of waqf for charity, to harness its immense but long-underutilized potential for social good, and to fortify the spirit of sewa within India’s Muslim community. The Waqf Amendment Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha under the title Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill, 2025, signals not just a legal intervention—but a moral repositioning.

It reflects the Modi Government’s wider vision for inclusive growth and institutional reform. Just as Triple Talaq was abolished to uphold dignity, and Haj travel was democratized for Muslim women, UMEED stands as another watershed—committed to Nari Shakti, to Pasmanda inclusion, and to ending the capture of legacy systems by vested interests.

India has 8.72 lakh waqf properties covering 37.39 lakh acres. Yet only 1,088 have registered waqf deeds. The rest float in a legal limbo—vulnerable to encroachment, opaque leasing, and institutional neglect. The Sachar Committee estimated a potential annual return of ₹12,000 crore from these assets. In reality, we have seen less than ₹10 crore in recent years—a collapse that mirrors the absence of accountability.

UMEED operationalizes long-pending reforms—mandating waqf deeds for legal clarity, empowering District Collectors to verify waqf claims, and scrapping the controversial “waqf by user” provision. It brings an end to unchecked power by boards to declare land as waqf without public scrutiny, and corrects the longstanding abuse of Section 40. This is legal hygiene, yes—but it is also economic necessity and social justice.

Inclusivity is the soul of UMEED. For the first time, the law mandates representation of Muslim women—at least two on every board. It gives voice to historically excluded Muslim communities like Bohras, Aghakhanis, and Pasmandas—who, despite being contributors to waqf assets, were absent from decision-making. Even non-Muslims, who have donated land or are party to waqf disputes, now find representation in governance, ensuring balance and transparency.

UMEED introduces digitization as a moral imperative—mandating the geotagging and central registration of waqf properties on a single digital platform. From registration to leasing, from audit to litigation—every detail will now be tracked, recorded, and accessible. With CAG oversight and Collector-led validation, the waqf ecosystem enters an era of real-time governance.

And the promise of women’s empowerment doesn’t stop at representation. UMEED transforms waqf-alal-aulad to ensure that women heirs cannot be bypassed. It extends its safety net to widows, divorcees, and orphans—often the most vulnerable in society—so that waqf is no longer a patriarchal preserve but a beacon of protection.

This is not state overreach. This is state rectitude.

Critics may allege interference. But to that we say—this isn’t interference, it’s intervention for inclusion. UMEED does not compromise on religious freedoms; it enforces secular accountability in administrative functions, akin to how Charity Commissioners oversee Hindu or Christian trusts. The courts have long affirmed that waqf boards are statutory—not religious—bodies. UMEED merely modernizes them.

The reform also provides for the formation of separate waqf boards for communities like Bohras and Aghakhanis, ensuring localized governance while preserving sect-specific interests. It mandates regular audits, stricter penalties for derelict mutawallis, and upholds the sanctity of legitimate waqf institutions like masjids and graveyards already registered.

The gains? Monumental. If even a fraction of the ₹12,000 crore potential is realized, waqf revenues could fuel hospitals, colleges, orphanages, and skill centers. It could fund start-ups for young Muslim entrepreneurs, scholarships for girls, and housing for the poor.

With UMEED, India is not stopping. It is dedicating. Dedicating governance to service, policy to people, and charity to empowerment.

This is not just a bill. It is a blueprint for Viksit Bharat, and for a waqf that no longer lies buried in the past—but builds the future.

(The author is a public policy exponent and a thought leader in governance and administrative reforms)