Narendra Modi to interact with beneficiaries of Svamitva scheme today: How the programme aims to provide property rights to rural India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with the beneficiaries of Svamitva (Survey of Villages And Mapping With Improvised Technology In Village Areas) scheme in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday via video conferencing at 12.30 pm. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, he will also distribute e-property cards to 1,71,000 beneficiaries under the scheme on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will also be present during the event. About the Svamitva scheme Svamitva is a Central sector scheme under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj that aims to provide property rights to the residents of rural inhabited areas. It will pave the way for the use of property as a financial asset by villagers for taking loans and other financial benefits, like in urban areas, the PMO stated. The scheme aims to demarcate inhabited lands in rural areas through the latest surveying drone-technology. It has also provided a boost to the ecosystem of drone manufacturing in the nation. According to the Panchayati Raj ministry, the survey will be done across the nation in a phase-wise manner over a period of four years — from 2020 to 2024. Svamitva scheme was launched by Prime Minister Modi on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24 April with a resolve to enable economic progress of rural India. Objective of the scheme The scheme seeks to achieve the following objectives: creation of accurate land records for rural planning and reduce property related disputes; bring financial stability to rural citizens by enabling them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits; determination of property tax, which would accrue to the GPs directly in states where it is devolved or else, add to the state exchequer; creation of survey infrastructure and GIS maps that can be leveraged by any department; and, supporting preparation of better-quality Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) by making use of GIS maps. With inputs from agencies