The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas), a transformative rural governance scheme which was launched on April 24, 2020 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has completed 5 years of successful implementation.
- The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) with the support of Dehradun (Uttarakhand)-based Survey of India (SoI) and New Delhi (Delhi)-based National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) as the technology partner.
About SVAMITVA Scheme:
i.It is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) which aims to provide the ‘record of rights’ in the form of property cards to village household owners possessing houses in inhabited rural areas of the country.
ii.The scheme was launched with an initial budget of Rs 566.23 crore from Financial Year 2020-21 (FY21) to FY2025, with an extension till FY2026.
iii.The scheme was initially launched as ‘pilot-phase’ in 9 Indian states for FY21 such as: Andhra Pradesh (AP), Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand, covering around 50,000 villages.
Key Objectives:
i.To create accurate land records for rural planning and reduce property-related disputes.
ii.To bring financial stability to the citizens living in rural areas of the country by enabling them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits.
iii.To determine property tax, which would accrue to the Gram Panchayats (GPs) directly in states where it is developed or else.
iv.To create survey infrastructure and Geographic Information System (GIS) maps that can be used by any department for their use.
Key Components of the Scheme:
i.Establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network: These CORS networks provide support in setting up ground points, which is crucial for accurate geo-referencing, ground truthing and demarcation of lands.
ii.Large Scale Mapping using drones: SoI is mapping rural inhabited (abadi) area using drone survey. These surveys help in generating high resolution and accurate maps to confer ownership property rights.
iii.Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives: It is an awareness program which aims to sensitize the local people about the scheme methodology and its benefits.
iv.Enhancement of Spatial Planning Application “Gram Manchitra”: Using digital spatial data or maps created under drone survey for creation of spatial analytical tools to support preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
v.Online Monitoring System: Online Monitoring and reporting dashboard is monitored to overview the progress of activities carried out under the scheme.
vi.Project Management: Programme management units have been formed at both national and state levels for supporting Ministry and State respectively with scheme implementation.
Key Accomplishments:
i.On January 18 2025, the Government of India (GoI) had distributed total 65 lakh SVAMITVA property cards across more than 50,000 villages in 10 states: Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh (HP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and 2 Union Territories (UT): Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh.
ii.As of April 02 2025, drone surveys have been completed in 3.20 lakh villages, covering 68,122 square kilometers (sq. km) of the area under SVAMITVA scheme.
- Additionally, UTs and states which were completely mapped: UT Lakshadweep, UT Delhi and AP, MP, UP and Chhattisgarh.
iii.As of March 11 2025, total 31 Indian states & UTs have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) under the scheme.
iv.So far, GoI has issued 2.42 crore property cards for 1.61 lakh villages.
About Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR):
Union Minister- Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Constituency- Munger, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS)- S.P. Singh Bhagel (Constituency- Agra, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
