West Bengal recorded an increase of approximately 35,000 Waqf property registrations following the introduction of the UMEED portal [1].
This surge indicates a significant shift toward the digitization of religious endowments. By moving registration online, authorities aim to reduce documentation gaps and create a more transparent ledger of properties held in trust for charitable or religious purposes.
The UMEED portal was launched June 6, 2023 [2]. Officials said the rise in numbers is not the result of new properties being created, but rather the facilitation of existing properties being formally registered through the digital interface [1].
The West Bengal Waqf Board has initiated the documentation of 133,417 properties [3]. The transition to a digital system was intended to streamline the process for property owners and administrators who previously faced bureaucratic hurdles in manual registration.
However, the sudden increase in registrations has drawn scrutiny. Some reports suggest the surge coincides with data indicating that approximately 100,000 properties may have been missing from official records [2]. This discrepancy suggests that while the portal has increased registration, it has also highlighted previous inconsistencies in how the state tracked these assets.
The UMEED system allows for a more centralized approach to managing Waqf assets, which are typically donated for the benefit of the community. By digitizing these records, the board seeks to prevent illegal encroachments and ensure that the revenue generated from these properties is used for its intended purpose [1].
“West Bengal recorded an increase of approximately 35,000 Waqf property registrations”
The rapid increase in registrations highlights a systemic failure in previous manual record-keeping. While the UMEED portal has successfully brought thousands of properties into the official fold, the gap between old records and new registrations suggests that a vast amount of religious land was previously undocumented or 'missing,' leaving it vulnerable to legal disputes and mismanagement.
