In a significant push towards modernising rural land administration, drone-based surveys under the central government's SVAMITVA scheme have been successfully completed across a vast expanse of Himachal Pradesh. The initiative has covered an impressive 13,920 villages, mapping an estimated area of about 55 square kilometres in the hill state.
Property Cards Issued and Digital Transformation
Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh presented these details in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The data reveals that as part of this extensive exercise, 5,419 property cards have been prepared for residents of 364 villages. Furthermore, to bring transparency and efficiency, a massive 38 lakh property parcels have been digitised in the state's rural areas.
The survey work encompassed 3,353 gram panchayats through drone technology. Out of these, property cards have been distributed in 114 gram panchayats. All issued cards are digitally linked with the state's revenue records, ensuring their authenticity and making them easily accessible to the owners.
District-Wise Progress and Implementation
The minister was replying to a question raised by Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur. He explained that the SVAMITVA scheme in Himachal is being implemented through coordination between the Survey of India and state departments like revenue, panchayati raj, and information technology.
Among the state's 12 districts, Hamirpur is the only district where property cards have been prepared so far, covering those 5,419 properties. In terms of the area covered by drone surveys, Kangra district leads with 759 gram panchayats, followed by Mandi (552) and Shimla (405).
Challenges and Future Integration
The ministry noted, however, that there has been no reported increase in local revenue mobilisation, bank credit flow, or resolution of land disputes in the state as a direct result of the scheme yet. It was also stated that the SVAMITVA data has not yet been integrated with any state e-governance platforms or the national land records database.
Addressing operational challenges in hilly terrain, the minister clarified that while there are no special guidelines for such areas, necessary adjustments like optimised drone flight paths and additional field verification are undertaken. For grievance redressal, the Himachal Pradesh Abadi Deh Act, 2021 provides a 60-day window for raising objections before property cards are finalised.
The SVAMITVA scheme aims to provide a definitive record of land ownership in village inhabited areas, granting legal ownership documents to property owners and paving the way for a modernised land management system in rural India.
