NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to distribute 6.5 million property cards under the Svamitva scheme to residents of 50,000 villages spanning 10 states and two Union Territories tomorrow, Saturday (January 18). This initiative, leveraging advanced drone and GIS technology, aims to provide rural homeowners with legal ownership records for their properties, according to Union Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Agarwal.
The Svamitva scheme, which was introduced by PM Modi in April 2020, focuses on generating Records of Rights (RoR) for properties in populated rural areas, distinct from agricultural lands. So far, drone surveys have been conducted in 317,000 villages, resulting in the creation of 22.4 million property cards.
Nationwide, 3,46,187 villages have been notified under the Svamitva scheme, and property cards have been issued for 153,726 of these villages. However, the parliamentary standing committee on rural development and panchayati raj has expressed concerns regarding the challenges associated with drone-based land mapping in rural regions.
The initiative brings multiple benefits, such as enabling property monetization, facilitating bank loans, reducing land-related disputes, and aiding in comprehensive village planning. These steps are seen as critical to making rural India more self-reliant.
Banks have started recognizing Svamitva property cards as valid collateral, allowing property owners to secure loans and use their land for financial development. This move is expected to provide a significant boost to rural economies.
The Panchayati Raj Ministry is also working on promoting the Svamitva scheme on a global scale. An international workshop on land governance in India is planned for March, with participation from 40 representatives across 20 countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as per Agarwal.
The ministry is also set to participate in the World Bank Land Governance conference in Washington this May. The goal is to highlight India’s achievements with the Svamitva model and inspire other countries to adopt similar initiatives.
The government plans to cover around 6.62 lakh villages across the country under the SVAMITVA Scheme. To be eligible, households must fall into specific income categories. These include the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakhs, the Low Income Group (LIG) with an income of up to Rs 6 lakhs, and the Middle Income Group (MIG) with an income of up to Rs 9 lakhs.
The term SVAMITVA refers to a government initiative that uses advanced technology to map and survey rural villages. SVAMITVA is short for "Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas". This program helps provide official property records to people living in rural India.