Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) Scheme

Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) Scheme

Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II: Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein

Aim: To provide the ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners possessing houses in inhabited areas in villages with issuance of legal ownership rights (Property cards/Title deeds). 

• The plan is to survey all rural properties using drones and prepare GIS based maps for each village.
• Data related to property details will be owned by the State Revenue Department as it has the authority to mutate the Right of Records (RoRs) and update the maps. Hence, the State Revenue Department will be the owner/host of this data and others will have a right to view.
• So far 29 States, including State of Uttar Pradesh, have signed MoU with SoI.

Implemented By: 

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj
• Survey of India (SoI)
• State Revenue Department
• State Panchayati Raj Department
• National Informatics Centre

What is the benefit of issuing a SVAMITVA property card?

• Access Credit & Benefits: It will enable rural households to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits. 
• Tax Collection: The database will help in determination of property tax, which would accrue to the Gram Panchayats directly in states where they are empowered to collect such taxes
• Enhances Liquidity of assets: The cards will help increase liquidity of land parcels in the market and increase the financial credit availability to the village.
• Developmental Planning: The scheme will also pave the way for creation of accurate land records for rural planning. All the property records and maps will be available at Gram Panchayat, which will help in taxation of villages, construction permits, elimination of encroachments, etc.

News Source: PIB