PM distributes over 6.5mn SVAMITVA property cards

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that his government’s resolve to address the lack of property ownership records in rural areas stems from the belief that “no sensitive government can leave its village population in distress”.

Speaking at a virtual event organised by the ministry of panchayati raj, Modi distributed 6.5 million property cards under the SVAMITVA scheme to beneficiaries from over 50,000 villages across 12 states and Union territories.

SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas), launched in 2020 as a pilot project and later expanded to most states, conducts drone-based surveys of rural inhabited areas to provide property cards that serve as legal documents.

“It is known by different names in different states—some call it ‘rights record’, some call it a ‘property card’, and some refer to it as a ‘residential land deed’,” Modi said. “Today, as part of this effort, more than 65 lakh families have received their SVAMITVA cards, meaning that under the SVAMITVA scheme, nearly 2.25 crore people in villages now have proper legal documents for their homes.”

The Prime Minister said his government resolved to address this challenge after assuming power in 2014. “We believe in ‘Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwaash’ - development for all and gaining everyone’s trust. Hence, we launched the SVAMITVA scheme,” he added.

Modi cited a United Nations study on global land ownership that highlighted how the lack of proper legal documents for property in many countries contributed to poverty. He said that despite owning millions of assets in Indian villages, people could not realise their value due to the absence of proper documentation.

“This lack of documentation often led to disputes over homeownership. In many cases, influential individuals would seize properties illegally. Without legal documents, banks were also hesitant to accept such properties for financial transactions. This situation persisted for decades,” Modi said.

During interactions with beneficiaries, many reported obtaining bank loans using their property cards as legal documents - something previously impossible. They told the Prime Minister they had started small businesses in their villages with these loans.

“I could see the satisfaction, happiness, and confidence on their faces as they shared their dreams of doing something new. This conversation was incredibly heart-warming for me, and I consider it a blessing,” Modi said.

He noted that people from Dalit, backward, and tribal families were most affected by illegal encroachments and prolonged court disputes earlier. “Now, with legal proof of ownership, they have been freed from these crises. It is estimated that once property cards are issued in all villages, economic activities worth over ₹100 lakh crore will be unlocked. Just imagine how significant this capital will be for integrating with the country’s economy,” Modi added.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the initiative, which uses drone technology to map residential land in villages, was particularly important given global challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, health crises, and pandemics.