The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) announced on Wednesday that rural residential assets valued at ₹1.37 lakh crore could be monetized to access institutional credit through the SVAMITVA scheme. This initiative, which employs drone-based surveys to map properties in rural inhabited areas, aims to bring financial empowerment to rural India.
Previously, the lack of mapping in many states meant that property owners in villages could not access bank loans due to unclear land ownership. However, the SVAMITVA scheme has provided legal property cards to rural homeowners, enabling them to use their assets as collateral for loans. According to the ministry, this has opened doors to institutional credit for many villagers.
Launched in 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme aims to drive economic progress in rural regions. So far, 92% of the target 344,000 villages—approximately 317,000—have been surveyed. Property cards have already been issued in 136,000 villages, and on December 27, PM Modi is set to distribute five million property cards nationwide.
Citing Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj highlighted the importance of clear land ownership in driving economic growth. “In rural inhabited areas, unclear asset ownership prevents access to bank loans, hindering economic activity. The SVAMITVA scheme addresses this issue, with properties valued conservatively at ₹1.37 lakh crore, though the actual market value is likely higher,” he said.
Beyond financial inclusion, the scheme has contributed to dispute resolution and women’s empowerment by granting individual or joint legal ownership of properties. It has also helped gram panchayats identify open spaces, address encroachments, and plan better for community development.
The survey under SVAMITVA excludes urban areas and agricultural lands, as these categories already have established property records. The ministry aims to complete the entire survey by the financial year 2026.
However, the scheme has faced criticism. A recent report by the parliamentary standing committee on Panchayati Raj, presented to the Lok Sabha on December 12, highlighted challenges in implementing the initiative in tribal areas. The committee noted that property titles in rural regions are often complicated by joint family ownership, undivided assets, and communal land owned by tribal societies. It urged the government to address these issues systematically and within a legal framework.
Additionally, some states have opted out of the scheme. Jharkhand has expressed reluctance to implement it, while Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Odisha already have updated rural land records and see no need to participate.
Despite these challenges, the SVAMITVA scheme represents a significant step toward financial inclusion, economic activity, and rural development in India.
