Context:

Centre has launched the physical distribution of property cards under the ‘SVAMITVA’ scheme.

SVAMITVA Scheme

• The SVAMITVA scheme was launched in pilot mode in 6 states with the aim to update rural land records, providing record of rights to village households and issue property cards. SVAMITVA is a central scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development. It will be implemented across the country in a phased manned over the next four years, covering around 6.62 lakh villages.
• The scheme focuses on mapping rural-inhabited lands using drones as land records are inaccurate or do not exist for vast areas across India.
• Launch of physical distribution of property cards
• The launch will enable around one lakh property holders to download their property cards through an SMS link sent on their mobile phones.
• This would be followed by the physical distribution of property cards by respective state governments.
• These benefi ciaries are from 763 villages across six states, including 346 from Uttar Pradesh, 221 from Haryana, 100 from Maharashtra, 44 from Madhya Pradesh, 50 from Uttarakhand and two from Karnataka.

land records are important

• Only 19 per cent of potential property tax was being collected by Gram Panchayats, according to the 2018 Economic Survey.
• As once ownership of property becomes easy to demarcate and prove, its prices will also be fi xed.
• Then the property cards can be used to take loans, improving the taxregime at the Panchayati level.
• Beyond that, this effort may bring about more fi nancial stability for rural India, give accurate land records that can be used for planning, help in calibrating property tax and give a structural recourse for legal matters in property disputes.