Terming the property cards, which he distributed under the ‘SVAMITVA’ (ownership) scheme, as a “historic move” that will transform rural India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said this will pave the way for villagers to use the property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits, and end disputes among villagers over land ownership.

The Prime Minister launched the physical distribution of property cards under the scheme via video

conferencing and interacted with several beneficiaries of the scheme called Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA). Modi said it is a big step for the country towards becoming ‘aatmanirbhar’ (self-reliant).

“Experts across the world have stressed that property ownership rights play a big role in a country’s development,” he said to highlight the

significance of the measure and noted that only one-third population globally has a legal record of the properties they own.

The youth living in villages now can avail of bank loans against their properties to start out on their own, he said, asserting it is necessary for a developing country like India to have clear land ownership rights.

Property rights will give the youth self-confidence that can lead to their self-reliance, he said.

The beneficiaries are from 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.