New Delhi: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday distributed over 65 lakh property cards under SVAMITVA Scheme to property owners in over 50000 villages in more than 230 districts across 10 States and 2 Union territories through video conferencing.
The Governors of many states, Lieutenant Governors of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Chief Ministers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh and many other dignitaries had joined the event through video-conferencing.
Addressing the occasion, he remarked that today was a historic day for the villages and the rural areas of India and greeted all the beneficiaries and the citizens on the occasion.
The Prime Minister remarked that five years ago, the SVAMITVA scheme was launched to ensure that the people residing in the rural areas receive their property cards.
He remarked that different states refer to property ownership certificates by various names, such as Gharoni, Adhikar Abhilekh, Property Card, Malmatta Patrak, and Awaasiya Bhumi Patta.
“Over 1.5 crore people have been issued SVAMITVA cards in the past 5 years”, said Shri Modi. In today’s program, he added that more than 65 lakh families had received these cards.
The Prime Minister remarked that under the Swamitva Yojana, around 2.25 crore people in villages have received legal documents for their homes now. He extended his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all the beneficiaries.
Remarking that the 21st century presents numerous challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, health crises, and pandemics, the Prime Minister highlighted that another significant challenge the world faces is property rights and the lack of legal property documents.
The Prime Minister cited a United Nations study that revealed many people in various countries do not have proper legal documents for their property. He added that the UN emphasized that reducing poverty requires people to have property rights.
The Prime Minister mentioned a renowned economist who wrote a book on the challenge of property rights, stating that the small amount of property owned by villagers is often “dead capital.” He added that this means that the property cannot be used for transactions, and it does not help increase the family’s income.
Elaborating on the Swamitva Yojana, he said it involved mapping houses and lands in villages using drones and providing legal documents for residential properties to villagers. He added that the benefits of this scheme are now visible. Referring to his earlier conversation with beneficiaries of the Swamitva Yojana, who expressed how the scheme has transformed their lives, Shri Modi remarked that they now receive assistance from banks for their properties, and their satisfaction and happiness are evident. The Prime Minister considered this a great blessing.
“India has over 6 lakh villages, with drone surveys completed in nearly half of them”, remarked the Prime Minister. He highlighted that after receiving legal documents, lakhs of people had taken loans from banks based on their property, starting small businesses in their villages. He added that many of these beneficiaries are small and medium farmer families, for whom these property cards have become a significant guarantee of economic security.
The Prime Minister noted that Dalit, backward, and tribal families were most affected by illegal occupations and long court disputes. He remarked that with legal certification, they would now be free from this crisis. He mentioned an estimate that once property cards are issued in all villages, it will unlock economic activities worth over 100 lakh crore rupees. The Prime Minister emphasized the substantial capital that will be added to the country’s economy.
The Prime Minister noted that property rights will resolve disputes over land ownership, such as identifying Panchayat land and grazing areas, thereby empowering Gram Panchayats economically. He emphasized that property cards will enhance disaster management in villages, making it easier to claim compensation during incidents like fires, floods, and landslides.
Noting that land disputes were common for farmers, and obtaining land documents is challenging, often requiring multiple visits to officials and leading to corruption, the Prime Minister said that to reduce these issues, land records were being digitized. He highlighted that Swamitva and Bhu-Aadhaar are foundational systems for village development. He added that Bhu-Aadhaar provides a unique identity to land, with around 23 crore Bhu-Aadhaar numbers issued, making it easy to identify land plots. “Over the past 7-8 years, approximately 98% of land records have been digitized, and most land maps are now digitally available”, added Shri Modi.
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