Kiren Rijiju Launches Digital Portal for Transparent Management of Waqf Properties
Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, has launched the Hope Portal, a digital platform aimed at enhancing the management of waqf properties in India. This initiative is designed to ensure transparency and prevent misuse, particularly benefiting underprivileged Muslim communities. With over 900,000 waqf properties in the country, the portal is expected to revolutionize their administration, promoting accountability and public involvement. Rijiju emphasized the government's commitment to protecting minority rights and ensuring that waqf properties serve their intended purpose effectively. The launch marks a significant step towards empowering marginalized groups, especially women and children.
| Jun 6, 2025, 19:51 IST
Introduction of the Hope Portal
On Friday, Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, inaugurated the Hope Portal, aimed at digitizing the management of waqf properties to ensure complete transparency. He announced that this marks the beginning of the first implementation process of the Waqf Amendment Act. The Hope Portal is designed to manage waqf properties digitally, preventing any misuse or circumvention. Its primary goals are efficiency and empowerment, which are particularly crucial for underprivileged Muslim children, women, orphans, and widows. India holds the largest number of waqf properties globally, and with a significant population of impoverished individuals in the Muslim community, effective management of these assets is essential. Currently, there are over 900,000 waqf properties in India, and the upcoming days will reveal how many registrations will occur.
Significance of the Hope Portal
Rijiju emphasized that the Hope Portal will usher in a new chapter in the history of waqf property management and administration in India. Following the launch, he stated that it would not only enhance transparency but also assist ordinary Muslims, particularly women and children. The portal, developed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, was officially inaugurated in the presence of George Kurien, the Minister of State for Minority Affairs. Rijiju described this initiative as a historic step, asserting that the Hope Portal represents much more than just a technological upgrade.
Commitment to Minority Rights
He further noted that this initiative symbolizes the government's strong commitment to safeguarding the rights of minority communities and ensuring that waqf properties owned by these communities are utilized effectively and fairly for the benefit of impoverished Muslims, for whom it was originally intended. The Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act of 1995, abbreviated as the Hope Central Portal, will serve as a centralized digital platform for real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of waqf properties. This portal is expected to bring about significant changes in the administration of waqf properties across India, fostering greater transparency, accountability, and public participation.