• Full Form: Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas.
• Launched on 24th April 2020 (National Panchayati Raj Day) by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• Objective: Provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India, issuing Record of Rights to households in inhabited rural areas (village abadi areas).
• Central Sector Scheme: Fully funded by the Central Government, implemented in collaboration with States/UTs and the Survey of India.

Primary Goals:
1. Demarcation of inhabited areas using drone technology.
2. Creation of property cards (Record of Rights).
3. Formalizing ownership to reduce disputes and enable financial asset use.

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj at the national level.
• State Revenue Department/Land Records Department at the state level.
• Survey of India (as the technology partner).

Coverage:

• The scheme is being implemented in phases from 2020-2024.
• Initially covered 6.62 lakh villages in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka, including a few border villages of Punjab and Rajasthan.

• West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, and Meghalaya have not joined the scheme yet.
• Nomenclature: Title Deed in Haryana, Rural Property Ownership Records (RPOR) in Karnataka, Adhikar Abhilekh in Madhya Pradesh, Sannad in Maharashtra, Svamitva Abhilekh in Uttarakhand, and Gharauni in Uttar Pradesh.

• Use of Drone Survey Technology: Drones capture high-resolution images for accurate mapping of village abadi lands.
• Issuance of Property Cards: Known by various names (e.g., ‘Gharauni’ in UP). Serves as legal proof of ownership.
• Phased Implementation (2020–2024): Began in select states (UP, Haryana, Maharashtra, MP, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, plus border villages in Punjab/Rajasthan), expanding nationwide.
• Continuous Operating Reference System (CORS): Network stations for precise drone-based surveys in pilot-phase states.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue/Land Records Depts, Survey of India, etc.

• Drone Surveys & Mapping: 92% of targeted drone mapping completed across 3.17 lakh villages; full targets likely by 2026.
• Issuance of Property Cards: Over 2.19 crore property cards finalized; latest distribution covered 58 lakh cards in 50,000 villages across 12 States/UTs.
• Phased Rollout: Successful pilots led to larger-scale implementation.
• Collaborative Efforts: Coordination among Panchayati Raj Ministry, Survey of India, and state-level agencies; financial support from the Centre.
• Recognition of Success: Regarded as a landmark initiative for minimizing litigation, enhancing rural governance, and clarifying property rights.

PYQ:

[2019] With reference to land reforms in independent India, which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) The ceiling laws were aimed at family holdings and not individual holdings.

(b) The major aim of land reforms was providing agricultural land to all the landless.

(c) It resulted in cultivation of cash crops as a predominant form of cultivation.

(d) Land reforms permitted no exemptions to the ceiling limits.