What is SVAMITVA scheme, Centre's initiative to provide ‘record of rights’ to rural household owners?

Through the use of advanced drone technology to survey and demarcate rural properties, the SVAMITVA scheme aims to create accurate land records and support sustainable rural development. (Image: GOI)

The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) on Wednesday (December 25) declared that rural residential properties worth Rs 1.37 lakh crore can now be monetised to secure institutional credit under the ambitious SVAMITVA scheme. Launched in 2020, the scheme is aimed at empowering rural India by formalising property ownership to enhance financial inclusion and driving economic development.

SVAMITVA Scheme explained

SVAMITVA, which stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas, addresses the issue of undocumented rural properties that have long hindered access to institutional credit. By issuing property cards, the scheme enables rural residents to leverage their residential properties as financial assets for loans and other economic benefits.

Launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in 2020, the scheme uses advanced drone technology to survey and demarcate rural properties. Its goal is to create accurate land records and support sustainable rural development.

Since its inception, the SVAMITVA scheme has made remarkable strides. Of the targeted 3.44 lakh villages, 3.17 lakh (92%) have been surveyed and property cards have been distributed to 1.36 lakh villages. On December 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute an additional five million property cards across India.

The scheme's achievements extend beyond financial inclusion. It has been instrumental in resolving long-standing property disputes and aiding gram panchayats in tackling land encroachments. The Ministry estimates the project will achieve its full targets by 2026.

Adoption with some resistance

Currently, 31 states and Union Territories have adopted the SVAMITVA scheme. While states like Jharkhand have resisted its implementation, others, including Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Odisha, have opted out, citing updated rural land records as sufficient. Sikkim, Telangana and Tamil Nadu participated only in the pilot phase. Challenges also persist in tribal regions where communal land ownership and family disputes complicate the issuance of property titles.

A parliamentary standing committee has urged the government to address these legal and procedural challenges to ensure the scheme’s benefits reach all sections of society.

Economic and social benefits

The SVAMITVA property cards hold transformative potential for rural India. First, they enable rural households to use their residential properties as collateral to secure loans, fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth. Second, the cards facilitate the determination and collection of property taxes, benefiting gram panchayats directly in states authorised to collect such taxes.

Moreover, the property cards increase the liquidity of land parcels, improve financial credit availability and help create accurate land records for rural planning. With property maps created using GIS technology, gram panchayats can devise better-quality development plans, issue construction permits and eliminate encroachments more effectively.

The SVAMITVA scheme has also empowered women through joint property ownership. By formalising ownership, the initiative has resolved disputes that previously plagued rural areas, fostering harmony and cooperation within communities.

Who owns the SVAMITVA data?

The orthorectified base maps and GIS data generated under the SVAMITVA scheme will be jointly owned by the Survey of India, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and state governments. However, property-related details will remain under the purview of the State Revenue Department, which oversees updates to the Right of Records (RoRs) and maps. Updates to GIS data layers will be incorporated annually by local officers, ensuring up-to-date records for effective rural administration.

While the scheme has made significant headway, challenges remain, particularly in tribal areas and states resistant to implementation. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is actively addressing these hurdles to ensure the project’s successful completion by FY 2026.