SVAMITVA Scheme: Property Cards for Rural Homes Through Drone Mapping
Last updated: 2026-11-13 · MockMentor
SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) gives rural households legal ownership records of their homes, using drone surveys. It was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24 April 2020, as a pilot in nine States, and rolled out nationally on 24 April 2021. The technical partner is the Survey of India.
In one line: drones map the inhabited (abadi) area of each village, and homeowners get a property card they can use to raise a bank loan.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Launched | 24 April 2020 (pilot); national roll-out 24 April 2021 |
| Ministry | Panchayati Raj |
| Type | Central Sector Scheme, 100% Centre funded |
| Technical partner | Survey of India |
| Target | About 6.62 lakh villages |
| Cost | About ₹566 crore for 2020 to 2025 |
| Accuracy | Up to 5 cm |
Key components
- Drone surveys of village abadi areas.
- A network of 1,000+ Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for precise positioning.
- Property cards, with State names such as Gharauni (Uttar Pradesh) and Sannad (Maharashtra).
- Dispute resolution through the Gram Panchayat and revenue department before cards are issued.
Why it matters
Clear records let villagers use homes as collateral, cut property disputes, and help Panchayats plan and collect property tax.
Possible exam questions
- How can property rights in rural abadi areas unlock credit for rural households?
- Discuss the use of drone technology in governance, with reference to SVAMITVA.
Complete notes in our courses: this page gives the essentials. The Super-Elite and Elite courses carry the full chapter with every update merged in, plus practice MCQs. Compare the courses.
More in Panchayati Raj schemes
Prepare with MockMentor
RBI Grade A/B 2027 Super-Elite Course (₹7,500) – Complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 preparation with the Descriptive Writing Programme. 365 days validity.