The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is making significant strides in implementing the SVAMITVA Scheme, which is aimed at providing a Record of Rights to village property owners. The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil, provided an update on the scheme’s progress in the Rajya Sabha.
The SVAMITVA Scheme, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments, and the Survey of India, utilizes the latest drone technology to demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land in rural areas. The scheme’s objectives extend beyond property rights to include facilitating property monetization, enabling bank loans, reducing property disputes, and aiding in comprehensive village-level planning. These efforts are seen as foundational steps toward achieving true Gram Swaraj and making rural India self-reliant.
As of 24th January 2024, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for the implementation of the SVAMITVA Scheme have been signed with 31 States and Union Territories. The drone survey has been completed in 2.93 lakh villages across these states and UTs.
The scheme has led to the preparation of 1.75 crore property cards in 1.09 lakh villages. States have established processes in line with State Acts and Rules for the creation of these property cards. Some states, like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, use mobile or web-based applications for ground verification, while others, like Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, have integrated social profile registries for more accurate verification.
Additionally, several States and UTs have developed online systems for the preparation and storage of property cards, integrating them with the Digilocker application. This integration facilitates transparent and direct distribution of property cards to owners. States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Odisha, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Puducherry have online systems for property card storage and have also integrated these cards with Digilocker. Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir have also linked property cards with Digilocker.
The SVAMITVA Scheme’s successful implementation, particularly through the innovative use of drone technology, marks a significant advancement in streamlining land ownership records in rural India, thereby empowering village property owners and paving the way for sustainable rural development.