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17th February 2022 (5 Topics)

Tribals in Jharkhand Opposing Drone Surveys

Context

Gram Sabhas in Torpa and Karra blocks of Jharkhand’s Khunti district have been protesting against Ownership Scheme.

About

About Ownership Scheme:

  • Swamitva Yojana’ or Ownership Scheme aims to map residential land ownership in the rural sector using modern technology like the use of drones.
  • SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Area.
  • It will create property ownership record of land in villages and empower rural population with grant of official document confirming their ownership of land titles.
  • Measurement:The residential land in villages will be measured using drones to create a non-disputable record. It is the latest technology for surveying and measuring of land.
    • Drones will draw a digital map of every property falling within the geographical limits of a village and demarcate the boundaries of every revenue area.
  • The scheme will be carried out in close coordination with the Central Panchayati Raj ministry, Survey of India, Panchayati Raj departments and Revenue departments of various states.

Coverage

  • There are about 62 lakh villages in the country which will be eventually covered in this scheme. The entire work is likely to be spread over a period of five years.

What was the need of such scheme?

  • The need for this Yojana was felt since several villagers in the rural areas do not have papers proving ownership of their land.
  • In most states, survey and measurement of the populated areas in the villages has not been done for the purpose of attestation/verification of properties.

What is the benefit of issuing an e-property card?

  • Access Credit & Benefits: It will enable rural households to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits. 
  • Tax Collection: The database will help in determination of property tax, which would accrue to the Gram Panchayats directly in states where they are empowered to collect such taxes
  • Enhances Liquidity of assets: The cards will help increase liquidity of land parcels in the market and increase the financial credit availability to the village.
  • Developmental Planning:The scheme will also pave the way for creation of accurate land records for rural planning. 
    • All the property records and maps will be available at Gram Panchayat, which will help in taxation of villages, construction permits, elimination of encroachments, etc.

Why tribal people are protesting?

  • Tribal people protested as they were not fully informed about the survey.
  • The villagers fear their community land, on which the community have farmed for many generations, will be lost.
  • The social, economic, cultural and political strength of the tribal of Jharkhand state is associated with water, forests and land. They have their own separate constitutional rights. 
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