India's SVAMITVA scheme takes centre stage at World Bank Land Conference in DC

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) India took centre stage at the World Bank Land Conference 2025 in Washington DC, where Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bhardwaj articulated the country's leadership in land rights, tenure reforms, and technology-driven spatial planning.

Bhardwaj was delivering an address during a plenary session on 'Good Practices and Challenges in Land Tenure and Governance Reform' on Tuesday.

Participating as a Country Champion, Bhardwaj articulated the progress India made in the field of determining land rights with the introduction of the SVAMITVA, or Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas, scheme.

According to a ministry statement, the secretary shared wit the delegates the scheme's journey, beginning with amending state laws and survey rules, and establishing technological infrastructure like Continuously Operating Reference Stations, or CORS, to enable accurate drone-based mapping.

He also explained how India's federal structure requires cooperation, coordination, and community involvement to drive reforms on a national scale.

Bhardwaj also mentioned the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto's observation about the untapped economic potential locked in informal land holdings.

He said India has surveyed 68,000 square kilometres of rural land under SVAMITVA, unlocking USD 1.16 trillion worth of assets, thereby offering millions of rural families legal title, dignity, and access to credit and opportunity.

Through anecdotes of individuals like a dairy farmer in Madhya Pradesh who expanded his business, or a mother in Rajasthan who funded her daughter's overseas education, he highlighted how land ownership is being converted into real empowerment.

Another event scheduled to take place Wednesday in the US capital, titled 'Securing Land Rights for a Billion People,' is set to further amplify India's model of inclusive and technology-driven land governance, the ministry said.

The event will be attended by all delegates of the World Bank Land Conference 2025.

"The side event will provide a focused platform to discuss the implementation methodology and transformative benefits of the SVAMITVA Scheme with countries that share similar land administration systems," the ministry said.

On Thursday, the focus will be on Gram Manchitra, India's advanced GIS-based spatial planning platform.

The World Bank conference, themed 'Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action: Moving from Awareness to Action,' began on May 5 and will conclude on May 8. PTI AO VN VN

Source: PTI