Washington: India presented the Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) scheme as a Country Champion at the World Bank Land Conference 2025 here, outlining its approach to rural land governance. Held from May 6 to 8, 2025, the participation aims to share India’s methods and foster dialogue on land tenure reforms, with implications for economic activity and global collaboration, though coordination and infrastructure needs may shape outcomes.
Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), addressed the plenary session “Good Practices and Challenges in Land Tenure and Governance Reform” on May 6, 2025. He detailed SVAMITVA’s implementation, involving onboarding States, amending State laws and survey rules, and establishing Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for drone-based mapping. The scheme surveyed 68,000 square kilometres of rural land, unlocking $1.16 trillion in assets, aligning with Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto’s concept of economic potential in informal land holdings. Bharadwaj cited examples, including a Madhya Pradesh dairy farmer expanding his business and a Rajasthan mother funding her daughter’s overseas education, to illustrate how legal titles enable credit access and opportunity. Analysis indicates the $1.16 trillion asset unlock may expand rural economic activity, but integrating financial institutions is necessary to scale credit access.
SVAMITVA’s implementation requires cooperation, coordination, and community involvement across India’s federal structure to drive reforms on a national scale, as Bharadwaj explained. MoPR’s X posts on May 6 and 7, 2025, noted SVAMITVA’s navigation of India’s population and regional identities. Analysis suggests this national-scale coordination aligns diverse State policies, but variations in State capacity may affect uniform implementation.
On May 7, 2025, the special event “Securing Land Rights for a Billion People,” led by MoPR, includes opening remarks by Klaus Deininger, Lead Economist, World Bank, and an introduction by Somik Lall, Senior Advisor, Development Economics Vice Presidency (DECVP), World Bank. Bharadwaj presents SVAMITVA’s design, impact, and scalability, followed by a Q&A session. Attendees include delegates and advisors to seven Executive Directors representing Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Central Asia, South Asia, and South East Asia, facilitating cross-regional dialogue. The event examines SVAMITVA’s methodology and benefits, exploring collaboration with countries sharing similar land administration systems. Analysis shows SVAMITVA’s framework may inform global land reforms, but adapting to diverse governance systems requires technical assistance.
On May 8, 2025, Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR, presents Gram Manchitra, a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial planning platform, explaining its role in Panchayat-level decision-making to support sustainable villages. Analysis indicates Gram Manchitra’s data-driven approach may strengthen local governance, but its impact depends on technological access and training at the grassroots level.
India’s participation supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1.4.2, targeting legal land ownership for all, particularly vulnerable communities. The conference positions India to share its data-driven, community-focused model, addressing land insecurity. Analysis suggests India’s methods may guide other nations, but technological infrastructure costs and capacity-building needs could constrain adoption in resource-limited contexts.
The conference enables the exchange of practices, with SVAMITVA and Gram Manchitra highlighting India’s use of technology and community engagement. Cross-regional collaboration may advance global land tenure reforms, though economic and administrative differences will influence implementation. India’s role underscores its focus on rural development and governance, with the potential to shape international land rights approaches.
– global bihari bureau
