Task drone team with mapping 5 villages daily to meet SVAMITVA deadline: Giriraj Singh to states

It aims to demarcate inhabited abadi land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone technology.

Union Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday asked states to assign a drone team the task of mapping five villages daily to achieve the deadline of the SVAMITVA scheme, which aims to provide a Record of Rights to village household owners by digitalising land records.

Inaugurating a national meet on Survey of Villages And Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA), Singh called upon the states to complete the implementation of the scheme well before the deadline of 2024.

SVAMITVA Scheme aims at providing a record of rights to village household owners. These can be used by the owners to avail bank loans and other financial benefits. The scheme would also help in the settlement of disputes at the village level, creation of accurate land records.

Emphasising the need for judicious utilisation of drones, Singh exhorted the states to provide at least five villages per drone team each day, the ministry said in a statement.

The minister also emphasised close coordination between states and the Survey of India as critical for the success of the scheme.

During the meet, detailed presentations were made by officials from NIC, district collectors and magistrates, and officials from Indian Banks' Association on best practices from the states.

The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2020. It aims to demarcate inhabited (abadi) land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone technology.