The government will distribute 21.9 million Svamitva property cards by March 2026 to validate rural properties. This will help villagers use their land as collateral for loans, said Vivek Bharadwaj, Union Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry.
On 27 December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute 5.8 million cards to 50,000 villages across 12 states and Union Territories. The government has already issued 13.7 million Svamitva property cards.
Svamitva Scheme to Improve Credit Access in Rural Areas
Launched in April 2020, the Svamitva scheme aims to create records of rights for inhabited lands in villages. Bharadwaj explained that unclear land ownership prevents access to credit. Without clear property records, villagers cannot use their land as collateral for loans.
The scheme aims to resolve this issue by clarifying property ownership. This will improve credit access and boost economic activity. The scheme targets 344,868 villages, with 92% already surveyed using drones. The government expects to complete the process by March 2026, a year later than planned.
Drone Technology Powers Property Mapping in Villages
Survey of India maps properties using drones and state-provided data. This process ensures accurate property mapping.
The scheme covers 344,868 villages out of 662,000 across 30 states and Union Territories. States like West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Meghalaya, and Nagaland have opted out. Tamil Nadu only completed a pilot project.
The Svamitva property cards will help reduce disputes, enable property monetization, and allow villagers to access bank loans. This will help make rural India more self-reliant.
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