SVAMITVA property cards to unlock ₹100L crore economic activity: PM
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the property cards distributed under the Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) scheme will unlock economic activity worth over ₹100 lakh crore.
The PM made the announcement during an event where over 65 lakh property cards were distributed to owners in over 50,000 villages across 230 districts.
Launched in 2020, the SVAMITVA scheme aims to provide legal property documents to rural residents through drone surveys.
Scheme's reach
SVAMITVA scheme's progress and impact on rural India
To date, nearly half of India's six lakh villages have been surveyed under the SVAMITVA scheme, with 2.25 crore people getting legal documents for their homes.
PM Modi emphasized the economic security these property cards have provided, allowing many villagers to secure bank loans and start small businesses.
He said Dalit, backward, and tribal families have greatly benefited from this initiative by ending illegal occupation and court disputes.
Poverty reduction
SVAMITVA scheme's role in reducing poverty
The event also marked a major milestone with over 22.4 million property cards prepared and distributed under the SVAMITVA scheme.
The initiative has achieved full saturation in areas like Puducherry and Goa, with drone surveys being completed in states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Citing a United Nations study, PM Modi highlighted how property rights are crucial in reducing poverty and slammed past governments for not doing enough about it.
Land disputes
SVAMITVA scheme's role in resolving land disputes
Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and other officials joined the event virtually with several chief ministers and panchayat representatives.
The ministry cited examples of how the SVAMITVA scheme has settled land disputes and enabled rural planning in the Pune district of Maharashtra, among other areas.
PM Modi reiterated his government's commitment to solving rural property ownership issues since coming to power in 2014, saying, "No sensitive government can leave its village population in distress."
Beneficiary interaction
PM Modi interacts with beneficiaries of SVAMITVA scheme
During the event, PM Modi spoke to beneficiaries who recounted how they used property cards to obtain loans for businesses.
The SVAMITVA scheme has been adopted by 31 states and Union Territories, however, some regions such as Bihar and West Bengal are yet to join.
He was confident that once implemented fully, the scheme would boost India's economy by bringing in huge capital into it.