5 Years of SVAMITVA Scheme

• Context (PIB): SVAMITVA scheme completes 5 years.

What is SVAMITVA Scheme?

• The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme was launched by the PM on April 24, 2020, on National Panchayati Raj Day.
• SVAMITVA provides a ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners and issues legal ownership cards to property owners by mapping land parcels using drone technology.
  • Agricultural lands are not covered under this scheme.

Key Features

• Type: Central Sector scheme.
• Aim: To empower rural citizens with property cards, enabling access to credit, dispute resolution, and better planning.
• Implementation: Ministry of Panchayati Raj with support from Survey of India and National Informatics Centre Services Inc.

Objectives

• Creation of accurate land records for rural planning and reducing property-related disputes.
• To bring financial stability to the citizens in rural India by enabling them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits.
• Determination of property tax would accrue to the Gram Panchayats directly in States where it is devolved or added to the State exchequer.
• Creation of survey infrastructure and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology maps that can be leveraged by any department for their use.
• To support the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) preparation using GIS maps.

Need for SVAMITVA Scheme

• Accurate Land Records: Many village homes and lands in India were never properly recorded.
• Property Monetisation: Without legal documents, people couldn’t prove ownership or use their property to get bank loans or government help.
• To Minimize Property Disputes: The lack of records slowed down rural areas’ economic growth and led to frequent land disputes.

Achievements of SVAMITVA Scheme

• Property Cards: Over 2.42 Cr property cards have been created for 1.61 lakh villages under the scheme.
• Drone Surveys: Completed in 3.20 lakh villages. These surveys have covered an estimated area of 68,122 square kilometres
• International Recognition:
  • Workshop on Land Governance: Showcased India’s innovative approach, including drone-based surveys, digital property records and transparent governance through the SVAMITVA Scheme.
  • India International Trade Fair 2024: The scheme demonstrated how drones and GIS mapping are helping rural communities gain clear and legal land ownership.