SVAMITVA Scheme: Benefits, Eligibility, and Application Process

The Government of India has taken an initiative to provide land ownership through the SVAMITVA scheme. This scheme is intende

d for rural areas. It was launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on Princess of Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April 2020. Its purpose is to empower rural households financially through systematic mapping of inhabited lands using drone technology, granting legal ownership through property cards.  

In this particular blog, we shall explain in detail the SVAMITVA scheme focusing on its benefits, eligibility benefits, application procedure, technological aids, and its overall FAQs.  

What is the SVAMITVA Scheme?  

It aims at issuing property rights in villages and is a part of the central sector schemes. SVAMITVA scheme enables proper surveying of villages through aerial surveying with drones followed by GIS mapping of village areas, empowering villagers with legal rights to their properties.  

SVAMITVA scheme aids in promoting transparency, curbing disputes, enabling villagers to gain access to loans and other financial aids by using their properties as collateral.

Goals of the SVAMITVA Scheme  

The SVAMITVA scheme seeks to accomplish several long term objectives including:  

1. Legal ownership of property in rural areas and registering residential lands.  

2. Conducting drone and GIS survey mapping for accurate land record creation.  

3. Enabling villagers to finance against property and empowering them financially.  

4. Enhancing revenue collection of spent tax from Gram Panchayat.  

5. Minimization of disputes pertaining to ownership and boundary conflicts of lands.  

6. Offering reliable geospatial information improves planning at the village level.  

Additional Advantages of SVAMITVA Scheme  

SVAMITVA Schemes provides individuals, community and local self government a myriad of benefits.  

1. Legal Ownership and Secured Documents  

Property cards are issued to villagers which is now legally recognized as ownership. It provides security and minimizes disputes on land claims.  

2. Access to Capital  

Landholders with proper documentation are able to utilize their lands as collateral to secure loans from banks and other financial institutions. This will increase financial participation, and propel entrepreneurship in rural areas.  

3. Improved Development

Authorities are assisted in effective planning such as construction works, water, road and sanitation supply with accurate land mapping.

4. Revenue Generation for Local Bodies

With accurate records, local bodies are able to impose property tax compliance at Gram Panchayat, increasing the revenue base.  

5. Dispute Resolution 

In villages, property disputes are common due to lack of documentation, poorly defined borders, and insufficient gap for municipal attention. The SVAMITVA scheme solves this by providing arbitrary borders using drone mapping.

6. Use of Modern Technology

Surveying land with drones and GIS technology guarantees accuracy, speed, and efficiency by minimizing human errors.

Eligibility Criteria for the SVAMITVA Scheme  

Meet the following requirements to apply under SVAMITVA scheme:  

• The applicant has to reside in rural localities.  
• The property must be within the boundaries of the village’s built up area (Abadi area).  
• The applicant must be a legitimate claimant or owner to the property.  
• Lands used for agriculture are not included. This scheme is limited only to residential structures situated in rural populated regions.  

How the SVAMITVA Scheme Works  

This scheme operates through several stages involving technological surveys, civic engagement, and distribution of property cards.

Stage 1: Preliminary Survey Work  

• Informational Campaigns: GP’s oversee programs to inform users about the upcoming survey using drones.  
• Property Marking: Marking of properties is done alongside compilation of preliminary lists of owners.  
• Drone Flight Permissions: Permission for mapping out the area via drone is obtained.  

Stage 2: Drone Survey and Mapping  

• Deployment of Drones: Drones are deployed to take high resolution pictures of the village’s aerial view.  
• Processing of Data: The images are processed and GIS based maps of the respective village are created.  
• Use of CORS technology: The use of CORS technology is critical for continuous operating reference stations to ensure precision.  

Stage 3: Data Accuracy Check and Handling of Objections  

• Public display of the maps: The draft maps are published and disputes are raised by the citizens on incorrect boundaries.  
• Verification process: Claims that are under dispute will be confirmed by designated authorities and resolved or ruled justified.  

Stage 4: Distribution of property cards  

• Following the resolving of objections, the maps are set and cards of the same name are provided to the persons which are registered under them.  
• The cards contain property information such as the name of the owner, dimension of the property, its location and property ID.

SVAMITVA Scheme Required Documents

In most cases, the following documents are required:

• Aadhar Card for identity verification
• A voter ID or any government issued ID
• Property documentation, if any.
• Proof of residence such as a ration card or utility bills
• Recent passport-sized photographs

For the accurate capture of their property information, applicants will need to actively participate in the Gram Sabha meetings during the timeframe of the application.  

Participating States in the SVAMITVA Scheme

The SVAMITVA scheme is systematically adopted in different states and union territories in India. Some of the actively participating states include:

• Uttar Pradesh
• Madhya Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Uttarakhand
• Karnataka
• Haryana
• Punjab
• Rajasthan

It is anticipated that in the future, the scheme will aim to encompass every rural area throughout India.

Function of Panchayati Raj Institutions  

SVAMITVA’s designated local working units have defined responsibilities such as:  

• Organizing awareness campaigns
• Supporting survey personnel
• Managing objections and disputes
• Assisting in the distribution of property cards
• Updating records of taxes on property post-distribution  

Obstacles to Execution  

Important to note is the following concerning the overall negative impact the pedestrian vassals will have after the county reaffirms its sponsorship on the activity prior.  

Legal Challenges and Objections  

Some rural locals obscurely concern themselves with these border lines of ownership or encroachment information which would add to the lists of works pending and therefore elongate the card issuing process.  

Obsolescence of Technology

District surveyors might not be stationed in outlying regions where their infrastructure is non-existent as far as phones and computers are concerned in favor of non – vidéocyber.  

Reluctance to Adapt  

Passive awareness of neologism and normal customs and habits would hinder active participation in schemes of this nature by virtue of backward idea-emotive inertia.  

Prospects of the SVAMITVA Scheme  

Currently, the pilot phases have driven further evaluation; hence it has been directed to expand into covering over six lakh villages of India. The gradual rural to urban shift in the distribution of information will escalate construction in outlying areas thus directly contributing to the growth of the national economy.  

Conclusion  

The SVAMITVA scheme is a monumental leap towards enabling economic empowerment, social equity, and administrative efficiency in rural India. SVAMITVA makes property mapping in villages, which paves the way for issuing registered property documents and opens new avenues for development and finances for villagers, possible through geospatial technology and drone surveying.  

As the scheme scales throughout the country, it seeks to unlock self-sustained rural economy growth.

Frequently Asked Question