New Delhi: In a historic and transformative moment for rural India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the largest-ever distribution of property cards under the SVAMITVA scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, empowering 65 lakh rural citizens with legal ownership documents in a single day. The distribution ceremony was attended virtually by Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj Vivek Bharadwaj. The event also saw participation from governors of several states, lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, chief ministers of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, along with union ministers, members of parliament, members of legislative assemblies and councils, and other public representatives and senior officials. The ceremony witnessed massive participation from citizens, Panchayat representatives, and officials from different line departments across 237 districts, with nine union ministers personally overseeing regional distribution ceremonies.
 

The e-distribution ceremony, conducted via video conferencing, covered more than 50,000 villages across ten states and two union territories, marking an unprecedented milestone in rural governance and empowerment. Beneficiaries from Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were included, bringing the total number of property cards distributed under SVAMITVA to 2.25 crore.
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that five years ago, the SVAMITVA scheme was launched to ensure that rural residents receive their property cards. He mentioned that different states have various names for property ownership certificates, 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 five years," said Modi. In today's programme, he added that more than 65 lakh families received these cards. The Prime Minister stated that under the Swamitva Yojana, around 2.25 crore people in villages now have legal documents for their homes, extending his congratulations to all the beneficiaries. He highlighted that one of the significant challenges the world faces is the lack of legal property documents, citing a United Nations study. After receiving legal documents, many have taken loans from banks, starting small businesses in their villages. Many beneficiaries are small and medium farmer families, for whom these property cards provide significant economic security. He noted that Dalit, backward, and tribal families were most affected by illegal occupations and long court disputes, but with legal certification, they are now free from this crisis. He mentioned an estimate that issuing property cards in all villages will unlock economic activities worth over 100 lakh crore rupees.
 

During the event, the Prime Minister interacted with five beneficiaries of the SVAMITVA scheme who shared their experiences on how the scheme transformed their lives by minimising disputes, enabling asset monetisation, enhancing livelihoods, and fostering economic empowerment. The beneficiaries included Manohar Mewada from Sehore, Madhya Pradesh; Rachna from Sriganganagar, Rajasthan; Roshan Sambha Patil from Nagpur, Maharashtra; Gajendra Sangita from Rayagada, Odisha; and Varinder Kumar from Samba, Jammu and Kashmir.
 

Speaking at the event, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh highlighted the unprecedented scale of the SVAMITVA property card distribution, which reached 237 districts through coordinated physical programmes. He underlined that the distribution of 65 lakh property cards marks a transformative moment, empowering an equal number of rural households with legal ownership rights. “When the village is strong, the nation is strong,” the Union Minister affirmed, emphasising how the SVAMITVA scheme has become a cornerstone of rural empowerment. He praised the scheme’s consensus-based approach to property documentation, which has significantly reduced village disputes and strengthened community harmony.
 

The Union Minister noted that 2.25 crore rural families have benefited from the SVAMITVA scheme so far. He stated that these property cards not only facilitate access to banking services and formal credit but also serve as powerful tools for dispute resolution. The scheme has played a role in women’s empowerment, with many women now recognised as property owners or co-owners, marking a significant step towards gender equality in rural areas. “SVAMITVA is not just about property rights; it’s about making our villages self-reliant and our rural citizens Atmanirbhar,” the Union Minister said. He elaborated on how the scheme is creating new employment opportunities and enabling rural entrepreneurship through improved access to financial services. This comprehensive approach aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, where rural India plays a central role in the nation’s progress and prosperity.
 

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 April 2020, the SVAMITVA scheme has revolutionised rural land governance. It has mapped over 3.17 lakh villages using advanced drone technology, covering 67,000 square kilometres of rural residential land valued at Rs. 132 lakh crore. The success of SVAMITVA has garnered international attention, with India’s innovative land governance model set to be showcased at an international workshop in March 2025 and the World Bank Land Governance Conference in May 2025, highlighting India’s leadership in leveraging technology for sustainable development and grassroots governance.
 

BI Bureau