SVAMITVA SCHEME
Why in News?
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released findings from an evaluation study conducted by Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad on the SVAMITVA Scheme.
- The study was presented before the World Bank as a successful model of rural land governance.
- Officials believe the scheme can become a model for other developing countries.
ABOUT SVAMITVA SCHEME
Full Form
- SVAMITVA stands for:
- Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas.
Ministry
- It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Launch
- The scheme was launched nationwide on:
- 24 April 2021
- National Panchayati Raj Day
- It was launched after completion of the pilot phase during 2020–21 in 9 states.
MAIN OBJECTIVE
- To provide legal ownership records to people living in rural inhabited areas.
- To strengthen rural land governance through accurate mapping and property records.
KEY FEATURES OF THE SCHEME
Drone-Based Survey
- The scheme uses:
- Drone technology
- Aerial surveys
- Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network
- This helps create accurate maps of rural residential areas.
Property Cards
- Property owners receive:
- Legal ownership cards
- Property cards
- Title deeds
- These documents act as formal proof of ownership.
DIGITAL & GEO REFERENCED RECORDS
- The scheme creates:
- Digitally verifiable property records
- Geo-referenced land records
- This replaces informal and disputed land claims.
COVERAGE & PROGRESS
Financial Support
- Central funding of more than:
- ₹472 crore has been provided up to FY26.
- The scheme has been extended till:
- September 30, 2026.
Survey Coverage
- Drone surveys have been conducted in:
- 3.3 lakh villages
- About:
- 70,000 square kilometres of abadi land has been covered.
GROWTH IN PROPERTY CARDS
- Property card distribution increased from:
- 7,440 villages in FY21 to
- 1.89 lakh villages by FY26.
- Around:
- 3.14 crore property cards have been prepared.
- The government estimates the number may reach:
- 4 crore by September 2026.
STATES WITH SATURATED DRONE SURVEYS
Drone survey has been saturated in:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
- Kerala
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Odisha
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Delhi
- Mizoram
- Ladakh
IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHEME
Formalisation of Rural Property Rights
- Informal land claims and disputes are being replaced by:
- Legally recognised
- Digitally verifiable property documents.
Economic Potential
- The estimated monetised value of mapped abadi land is:
- Around ₹135 lakh crore.
Reduction in Property Disputes
- Accurate land records can reduce:
- Property disputes
- Legal cases related to land ownership.
Improved Access to Credit
- Property cards can be used as collateral for loans.
- According to the government:
- 10,913 loans worth ₹1,679 crore have been sanctioned using SVAMITVA property cards.
Increased Loan Access
- The IIM Ahmedabad study found that:
- Loan amounts increased by ₹22,129 annually per parcel after SVAMITVA surveys.
Women’s Empowerment
- The scheme encourages inclusion of women as recognised property owners in rural areas.
Better Rural Planning
- Accurate GIS maps help in:
- Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP)
- Property tax determination
- Infrastructure planning.
ELIGIBILITY & EXCLUSIONS
Eligibility
- A person must own property in a rural inhabited (abadi) area.
Exclusion
- Agricultural land is not covered under the scheme.
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY
The scheme is implemented by:
- Survey of India
- National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) as a technology partner.
At the state level:
- Revenue Department/Land Records Department acts as the nodal department with support from Panchayati Raj Departments.
CONCLUSION
- The SVAMITVA Scheme is becoming an important reform in rural land governance in India.
- By using drone technology and digital property records, the scheme is improving:
- Legal ownership security
- Access to finance
- Rural planning
- Reduction in disputes
- The scheme is now being viewed as a possible model for other developing countries as well.
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