Southern Waqf boards urge Centre to add regional languages to UMEED portal
Bengaluru (PTI): Waqf boards from southern states on Monday urged the Centre to make the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development) portal available in regional languages during a review meeting held here, officials said.
Representatives from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana participated in the meeting organised by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and shared their views, they said.
According to a statement, discussions focused on improving efficiency, transparency, and ownership of Waqf properties through the UMEED central portal. Since its launch in June 2025, all Waqf Boards across the country have been mandated to upload details of Waqf properties within six months.
Representatives from the southern states informed that they had already begun the process and would expedite the work in the coming days.
“Representatives from various states requested that the portal be made available in regional languages,” the statement said.
Officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs responded positively, assuring that the portal would be updated to support multiple languages and made more user-friendly in the coming days.
The meeting also saw southern states, including Karnataka, sharing updates on the progress of their respective Waqf Boards’ activities.
The programme was organised as part of the Ministry’s efforts under the UMEED Act, 2025, which came into effect in April this year.
“The Government of India, through the Ministry of Minority Affairs, is committed to modernising Waqf administration and unlocking the full developmental potential of Waqf properties for the benefit of minority communities,” the statement added.
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Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
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Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
