PM-SVAMITVA Scheme Explained: Registration, Eligibility, Property Card Perks

When the government launched the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, the aim was simple: to give the unbanked a place in the formal financial system. Now, in a similar vein, the Centre has rolled out the SVAMITVA Yojana, a property card initiative designed to give millions of rural Indians legal recognition of their homes and landholdings. Officials say this could change how rural households secure loans, resolve disputes, and plan their futures.

First announced on April 24, 2021, after pilot card distributions began the previous October, the scheme uses drone surveys and digital mapping to establish property boundaries. It covers inhabited areas within village limits, converting them into precise digital records. The property card, handed physically and sent via SMS link, serves as official proof of ownership.

What is the Objective of the SVAMITVA Yojana?

The core idea, according to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, is to correct and update ownership data for rural lands. That clarity brings several ripple effects. Gram Panchayats can levy fair property taxes. Land transactions become transparent. Disputes often stuck in courts for years could see a steep decline. For households, the biggest gain is the ability to use the property as collateral for credit.

In policy terms, it also addresses gender equity: women can be named as property owners. And at a broader level, mapping inhabited areas aids infrastructure planning, guiding where roads, water lines, and other facilities should be placed.

While it is a central government programme, legal support comes from a mix of national and state-level statutes. The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, provides the framework, but each state leans on its own acts. Rajasthan’s Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Madhya Pradesh’s Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993, are examples. Detailed operational guidelines from the Ministry outline how surveys are to be conducted, disputes handled, and records digitised.

Who Can Apply for a Property Card?

Eligibility is clear: the applicant must occupy property within the village habitation area and have been in possession since at least September 25, 2018. Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers and proof of identity and residence are required. States also ask for documents confirming possession and any previous ownership records. After online registration on the eGramSwaraj portal, the Survey of India teams conduct drone-based mapping. The process is not a quiet bureaucratic exercise. Gram Panchayat members, revenue officers, landholders, and police are present to witness the measurements.

Once a survey is completed, a 15–40-day window is kept open for objections. If no disputes are recorded, the state government issues the property card in the name of the recognised owner. These cards are available both digitally and in hard copy.

How Many Villages are Covered?

Approximately one lakh property owners benefited from the initial rollout in 763 villages in six states. Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka each had 346 villages, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 346 villages. Over the next four years, the number of villages is planned to increase to around 6.62 lakh.

Does the Scheme Affect Property Tax?

With precise boundaries and ownership data, Panchayats can introduce or streamline property taxes. This is not just about revenue collection, it allows local governments to fund and plan services, from waste management to street lighting, in a more organised way.

State-Level Variations: Gujarat’s Fee Waiver

In Gujarat, the government recently scrapped the Rs 200 fee for issuing ownership certificates (Sanad) for residential properties under SVAMITVA. The move, officials estimate, will benefit over 25 lakh rural residents and save the state’s landholders around Rs 50 crore collectively. The first copy of the property card was already free; now, so is the Sanad.

Formats vary by state, but each card typically includes the property owner’s name, the Gram Panchayat, plot dimensions, adjoining property details, and total area. These details, once murky or contested, are now presented in an official, standardised form.