SVAMITVA maps 3.3L villages unlocks Rs 135L cr in rural land value Study showcased at WB meet

New Delhi, April 30 (PTI) The SVAMITVA scheme, which uses drone mapping to provide legal property records, is unlocking an estimated Rs 135 lakh crore worth of rural land assets while significantly expanding access to institutional credit, with more than 10,900 loans worth Rs 1,679 crore sanctioned using property cards.
    The findings were highlighted in an impact evaluation study of the scheme by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, supported by the World Bank.
    The study notes that the scheme has digitally mapped around 3.30 lakh villages, covering nearly 70,000 sq km, and enabled the issuance of more than 3.14 crore property cards across 1.89 lakh villages, converting previously informal rural habitation land into legally recognised, bankable assets and bringing millions into the formal financial system.
    The outcomes were highlighted by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in his virtual address at the World Bank Land and Property Research Conference-2026, being held from April 29 to May 1 at the World Bank headquarters in Washington.
    At the conference, Klaus Deininger, Lead Economist at the World Bank Group, presented the findings from the impact evaluation in a session titled ‘Evaluating the SVAMITVA Scheme’.
    A research paper, ‘Credit Impacts of Titling Rural Habitation Land: Evidence from India's SVAMITVA Scheme’, was also presented, underlining the scheme's role in enhancing rural credit access.
    Launched in 2020, the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme uses drone-based surveys, GIS mapping and community participation to provide legal ownership records in rural inhabited (‘abadi’) areas, reducing disputes and improving transparency in land governance.
    The evaluation found clear gains in rural credit and financial inclusion.
    In Madhya Pradesh, loan amounts linked to SVAMITVA-surveyed residential properties increased by more than Rs 22,000 annually per parcel, while overall credit uptake rose by around 6.5 per cent across states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, based on data analysed in coordination with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
    The scheme has also strengthened the fiscal position of local governments.
    Distribution of property cards led to a 4.71 per cent increase in gram panchayat property tax revenue and a 4.08 per cent rise in overall own-source revenue, indicating improved financial autonomy at the grassroots level, the report said.
    In terms of land governance, the report highlighted a shift towards greater formalisation.
    Registered mutations of residential properties increased by 6.2 per cent annually, while agricultural land mutations declined by 4.87 per cent, suggesting clearer land use patterns and reduced informal or disputed transactions.
    Officials said the scheme's combination of drone surveys, ground verification and community validation has helped reduce property disputes and improve trust in ownership records.
    Property cards issued under the scheme provide legal documentation that can be used as collateral, enabling rural households to access institutional finance for the first time.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)