Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday distributed over 65 lakh property cards under SVAMITVA Scheme to property owners in over 50000 villages in more than 230 districts across ten States and 2 Union territories, saying his government is earnestly working to implement Gram Swaraj on the ground.

Speaking at the virtual launch of the scheme, he noted, “Today is a very historic day for the villages of the country and for the rural economy of the country. Governors of many states have joined this program.

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“Chief Ministers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra and Gujarat have also joined us…All the colleagues associated with thousands of Gram Panchayats, lakhs of beneficiaries of the ownership scheme. This is such a wide and huge program in itself and you all have joined with great enthusiasm. I congratulate all of you..”

Earlier, in the morning PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter), and posted a tweet which expalined about the SVAMITVA scheme.

According to the details, the SVAMITVA Scheme will provide a ‘Record of Rights’ to households owning houses in inhabited areas in villages through the latest drone technology for surveying, as reported by India TV.

This will bring transparency, accessibility, and empowerment to rural communities by helping to reduce land disputes and improve land management, making it easier for rural citizens to claim ownership and rights.

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 also 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.

Modi remarked that India was not immune to the global challenge of property rights. He noted that despite having property worth millions of crores, villagers often lacked legal documents, leading to disputes and even illegal occupation by powerful individuals. He added that without legal documents, banks also kept their distance from such properties.

The Prime Minister highlighted that previous governments did not take concrete steps to address this issue. He said that in 2014, the Government decided to tackle the challenge of property documentation through the Svamitva Yojana.

Referring to his earlier conversation with beneficiaries of the Svamitva 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.

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.