PM Modi to launch 'rural property cards' under SVAMITVA scheme today

NEW DELHI: In a move likely to transform rural India and empower millions of Indians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch via video conferencing on Sunday the physical distribution of property cards under the 'SVAMITVA' scheme.

"The launch will enable nearly one lakh property holders to download their property cards through the SMS link delivered on their mobile phones. This will be followed by physical distribution of the property cards by the respective state governments," said a Union government statement.

The beneficiaries belong to 763 villages across six states, including 346 from Uttar Pradesh, 221 from Haryana, 100 from Maharashtra, 44 from Madhya Pradesh, 50 from Uttarakhand and two from Karnataka. The beneficiaries from all these states except Maharashtra will receive physical copies of the property cards within a day -- Maharashtra has a system of recovering the nominal cost of the property card so it will take a month, the statement added.

The government hopes this move will pave the way for using property as a financial asset by villagers for taking loans and other financial benefits. This is also the first time that such a large-scale exercise involving modern technology is being carried out to benefit millions of rural property owners.

Prime Minister Modi will also interact with some of the beneficiaries during the event. Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar will also be present.

SVAMITVA is a Central scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development which was launched by Modi on National Panchayati Raj Day in April this year. The scheme aims at providing the 'record of rights' to village household owners in rural areas and issue them property cards.

The scheme will be implemented across the country in a phased manner over a period of four years (2020-2024) and would eventually cover nearly 6.62 lakh villages. Nearly one lakh villages in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Karnataka, and a few border villages of Punjab and Rajasthan will be covered in the pilot phase (2020-21). (IANS)

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