The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India. It aims to provide property cards to rural households, thereby establishing clear ownership of residential land in village areas. This is achieved through the use of drone-based large-scale mapping and modern geospatial technologies. By creating village maps and property boundaries, the scheme facilitates the integration of land records with spatial data and contributes to improved governance, planning, and revenue generation at the local level. SVAMITVA represents a significant step toward formalizing property rights in rural India, reducing land disputes, and unlocking the economic potential of rural assets.

The scheme’s implementation involves close collaboration between the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, Survey of India, and local Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). As a case study, SVAMITVA offers valuable insights into:

• Leveraging drone and geospatial technologies for governance innovation;

• Inter-departmental coordination across central and state agencies;

• Empowering rural communities through secure land ownership; and

• Lessons learned from implementation challenges, such as survey accuracy, data interoperability, community engagement, and gender inclusion.

Key Discussion Points in Panel Discussion

The session on SVAMITVA will highlight state-level experiences, progress achieved, and pathways for scaling and institutionalizing such technology-led land governance reforms across India. Some of the key discussion points in the panel discussion can be around the following themes:

·  Overview of the scheme and state level progress

·  Institutional roles and coordination among Survey of India, MoPR, and state departments.

·  How property cards transform informal rural landholdings into legally recognised assets, enabling households to access formal credit and financial services.

·  How land records reduce disputes, ease property transfers, and stimulate rural land markets.

·  How SVAMITVA empowers women and marginalised communities to participate more fully by having records and joint titles.