The Assam government signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Survey of India for implementing the Svamitva Scheme in the state, aiming to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural areas.

The MoU was signed between Assam, Director of Land Records and Surveys, Shantanu P Gotmare, and Director Assam and Nagaland, Survey of India, on Monday. The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Assam Government’s Department of Revenue and Disaster Management will implement the scheme with the support of the Panchayat and Rural Development.

Survey of India, as the technology partner, will take steps for a survey of populated rural land by drone and the establishment of ground-based control stations to enable a detailed database of properties in rural areas. It is expected to reduce property-related disputes in rural areas and legal cases.

The Svamitva Scheme was launched on a pilot basis on April 24, 2020, on National Panchayati Raj Day and was rolled out all across India on April 24 this year. The scheme would provide the ‘record of rights’ to village household owners possessing houses in populated rural areas in villages which would authorize them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other economic benefits from banks.