Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed over 65 lakh property cards to property owners in more than 50,000 villages across 230 districts in 10 States and 2 Union Territories. The distribution was done through video conferencing.
Historical Significance of the Initiative
In his address, Modi emphasized the importance of the initiative, calling it a historic day for rural India. He explained that the SVAMITVA Scheme was launched five years ago to provide legal proof of land ownership to people in villages. He added that, in the past five years, approximately 1.5 crore people had benefited from this initiative, with more than 65 lakh families receiving their property cards today.
Criticism of Previous Governments
PM Modi took the opportunity to criticize previous governments for neglecting the issue of land and ownership rights in rural areas. He highlighted that when his government took office in 2014, they decided to tackle this problem head-on. The government introduced the Swamitva Yojana, which uses drones to map homes and lands across the country, providing villagers with residential property papers.
Advancing Gram Swaraj and Village Development
The Prime Minister further noted that the government was sincerely working towards implementing Gram Swaraj. With the introduction of property rights, he said, the planning and development of villages would improve, and Gram Panchayats would become financially empowered.
Digitization of Land Records in Rural India
Modi also highlighted the significant progress made in rural India, with nearly 98 percent of land records digitized over the last 7-8 years. He cited Mahatma Gandhi’s sentiment that “India lives in villages” and affirmed that the work done in the last decade was in line with that vision.
Commitment to Farmers and Rural Development in 2025
Looking ahead, PM Modi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to farmers and rural development. He announced that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana would continue, and a new decision on DAP fertilizer was made to benefit farmers as the year 2025 begins.