SVAMITVA Scheme

The SVAMITVA Scheme is a significant step towards empowering rural India by providing a formal and legal framework for land ownership, thereby fostering economic development and reducing disputes.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the scheme. 

The scheme is implemented with the collaborative efforts of the State Revenue Department, State Panchayati Raj Department, and the Survey of India, which is the technology partner.

The survey is conducted across the country in a phased manner over a period of five years (2020-2025).


SVAMITVA Scheme


☰Table of Contents


Basic Facts


  • Full form of SVAMITVA – Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas
  • Launch Date – April 24, 2020.
  • Implementing Ministry – Ministry of Panchayati Raj 
  • Scheme Type – Central Sector Scheme 
  • Technology Partner – Survey of India
  • Aim – To provide people from rural areas with the right to document their residential properties.


Objectives of the SVAMITVA Scheme


  • To provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India.
  • To create accurate land records for rural planning and reduce 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.   
  • To determine property tax, which would accrue to the Gram Panchayats (GPs) directly in States where it is devolved, or else, add to the State exchequer.   
  • To create a survey infrastructure and GIS maps that can be leveraged by any department for their use.
  • To support the preparation of better-quality Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) by making use of GIS maps.



Key Features of the SVAMITVA Scheme


  • Drone Surveying Technology: The scheme uses drones to survey and map the inhabited rural areas (Abadi areas). This provides high-resolution and accurate maps.
  • Record of Rights: The scheme aims to provide a 'Record of Rights' in the form of property cards/title deeds to village household owners.
  • Property Cards: These cards serve as legal ownership documents for the residents. They are prepared based on the drone survey data and are issued to the property owners.
  • Digital Governance: The scheme promotes transparent, tech-enabled rural land governance by creating digital land records and GIS maps.
  • Dispute Resolution: Accurate mapping and clear ownership records help in reducing property-related disputes and legal cases.
  • Financial Inclusion: Property owners can use these property cards as collateral to access loans and other financial benefits.
  • Rural Planning: The GIS maps created under the scheme support better planning and development of rural infrastructure.


Benefits of the SVAMITVA Scheme


  • Provides legal ownership rights to rural property owners.
  • Reduces land-related disputes.
  • Enables villagers to use their property as a financial asset for loans.
  • Supports better rural planning and infrastructure development.
  • Improves revenue collection for Gram Panchayats where applicable.
  • Creates accurate and transparent land records.

Gram Manchitra Platform


Gram Manchitra is a Geographic Information System (GIS) based platform developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to support spatial planning at the Gram Panchayat level. 

It uses the spatial data created by SVAMITVA to visualize various developmental works, infrastructure, and assets within a village.

By leveraging the accurate maps and data from SVAMITVA, Gram Manchitra provides a decision support system for preparing better-quality Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).

 It offers tools for identifying potential sites for development projects, asset tracking, and estimating project costs.


eGramSwaraj platform


Launched on April 24, 2020, it is a unified web-based application developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for Panchayats to utilize this data for planning, financial management, and overall governance.

It promotes transparency, real-time progress tracking, and citizen access to local governance data.

The data collected from the SVAMITVA scheme is integrated into the eGramSwaraj platform to enable better planning, governance, and financial management at the Gram Panchayat level. 

SVAMITVA is being increasingly integrated with eGramSwaraj, Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), and GIS-based planning tools, supporting better rural infrastructure development and tax collection.


Why in the News?


India is showcasing the SVAMITVA scheme at the prestigious World Bank Land Conference 2025 in Washington, D.C. (May 5-8, 2025).

India is participating as a "Country Champion," highlighting the scheme's innovative approach to inclusive land governance and grassroots empowerment through technology-driven spatial planning.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Vivek Bharadwaj, emphasized at the conference that SVAMITVA has surveyed 68,000 square kilometers of rural land, unlocking an estimated USD 1.162 trillion worth of assets.

Alongside SVAMITVA, India is also presenting the Gram Manchitra platform at the World Bank conference.

Ahead of the event, India hosted an international workshop with 40+ countries to share experiences and promote similar reforms worldwide, positioning SVAMITVA as a model for tech-driven land reforms.


As of April 26, 2025, the drone surveys have been completed in over 3.20 lakh villages across 68,122 sq km, and over 2.42 crore property cards have been issued for 1.61 lakh villages.

Full coverage has been achieved in Lakshadweep, Ladakh, NCT of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.


SideNotes:

  • National Panchayati Raj Day – April 24.
  • Union Minister of Panchayati Raj – Lalan Singh.
  • Theme of the World Bank Land Conference 2025 – Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action: Moving from Awareness to Action

Thanks for reading!!!