Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday introduced a proposal to consider the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Muslim Waqf (Relations) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. He also said that the name of this bill will be changed to UMED bill.
Kiren Rijiju said, “The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 will be renamed as expected Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development Bill.”
Addressing the upper house of Parliament, Rijiju cited the report of the Sachar Committee, recommending that the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Board be comprehensive to make them inclusive. Giving information about the number of Waqf properties, he said that the Sachar Committee had estimated an income of Rs 12,000 from 4.9 lakh properties in 2006.
Rijiju said, “Today, there are 8.72 lakh Waqf properties. In 2006, if the Sachar Committee had estimated an income of Rs 12,000 crore from 4.9 lakh Waqf properties, then you can imagine how much income would have been earning from these properties today. The Sachar Committee had also recommended that the Central Waqf Parishad Council and the State Waqf Board should be comprehensive. It is also recommended to take special steps for (profit). “
The minister cited the recommendations of the previous Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by senior Congress leader K. Rehman Khan, indicating several issues of the Waqf Board, requiring improvement in the infrastructure of the board.
He said, “A Joint Parliamentary Committee under the leadership of Minority Affairs Minister K. Rahman Khan raised the issue related to (Waqf) infrastructure and pointed to low manpower and low money. He said that the whole matter is focused on appointing or removing Mutavalli.”
Appealing to the Congress and allies to support the Waqf Amendment Bill, Rijiju said that all the recommendations made by the previous committees have been included in the new revised bill.
He said, “All these recommendations given earlier have been included in the new amended bill. These committees were under UPA and Congress. So I appeal to the Congress Party and its allies to support the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025.”
Rijiju said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs has prepared a bill by taking many stakeholders across the country in confidence. He said that a total of 284 organizations have given their opinion on this bill and more than one crore people have submitted memorandum to register their opinion on it.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said, “Before the formation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, many people said that consolation given in this regard is not enough.
He said, “JPC has done more comprehensive work than any JPC formed earlier. Overall, 284 organizations from different regions gave their opinion. More than one crore people submitted a memorandum to the JPC and the Ministry to register their opinion. It is historic.”
