Question

Difficulty: MediumNational Events, Acts, and Governance Initiatives

Under the governance and rural transformation framework of the Government of India, the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme was rolled out nationwide to reform land record management. Which of the following statements accurately characterizes the primary mandate and operational mechanism of this scheme?

  1. A
    It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme executed by the Ministry of Rural Development to survey agricultural crop acreages using satellite telemetry for determining direct benefit transfers.
  2. B
    It is a statutory governance initiative established under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to delineate urban municipal boundaries and levy commercial property taxes.
  3. It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj that deploys drone surveying technology to map inhabited rural areas and issue digitized property ownership cards.Answer
  4. D
    It is an inter-state border demarcation program administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs to settle contested state boundaries using high-resolution satellite geodesy.

Answer

It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj that deploys drone surveying technology to map inhabited rural areas and issue digitized property ownership cards.
The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme is a flagship Central Sector Scheme launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Implemented with the technical support of the Survey of India, State Revenue Departments, and State Panchayati Raj Departments, it uses drone mapping and high-precision Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) networks to survey inhabited rural settlements (Abadi areas). This enables the generation of accurate spatial maps and the distribution of formal Property Cards (or Sampatti Patrak) to rural households, facilitating access to institutional credit and minimizing title litigation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the nodal ministry and scheme classification of the SVAMITVA initiative.
The SVAMITVA scheme is a 100% centrally funded Central Sector Scheme administered by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR).
Governance schemes in State PSC exams require accurate distinction between Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored schemes, as well as precise attribution of the administrative ministry.
2
Examine the technical methodology and geographic target area of the initiative.
The scheme utilizes drone-based aerial survey technology alongside the Survey of India to map inhabited village areas ('Abadi' parcels).
The core innovation of the scheme is replacing manual surveys with drone photogrammetry specifically in inhabited rural tracts rather than agricultural farmlands.
3
Evaluate the ultimate policy deliverable and socio-economic outcome.
The initiative creates definitive spatial property records and issues digitized 'Property Cards' (Sampatti Patrak) to rural property owners to enable financial monetization and reduce land disputes.
Establishing clear property rights serves as the foundational objective of the governance intervention.

Key Concept

SVAMITVA Scheme Architecture and Governance Mandate
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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