India to Host Global Land Reform Talks from May 5 to May 8, 2025
A high-level Indian delegation is preparing to showcase its innovative SVAMITVA Scheme and the Gram Manchitra platform at the World Bank Land Conference 2025, scheduled for May 5-8 at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The delegation, led by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, includes key officials from the Ministry and representatives from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The conference will focus on land governance, with India highlighting its efforts to enhance rural property rights through advanced technology.
SVAMITVA Scheme: A Transformative Initiative
The SVAMITVA Scheme, which stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas, aims to provide legal ownership of rural properties. Utilizing drones and geospatial technology, the initiative has issued property cards to over 24.4 million households across 1.6 lakh villages. This extensive mapping effort has covered more than 100 million property parcels, unlocking an estimated $1.162 trillion in land value. The scheme is recognized as a model for rural empowerment, demonstrating how technology can facilitate inclusive governance.
At the World Bank Land Conference, the SVAMITVA Scheme will be presented as a key example of how drone mapping and high-accuracy geospatial data can support climate-aligned planning. The conference will feature discussions on modernizing land administration systems and promoting sustainable development. India’s commitment to digital land reforms and South-South collaboration will be central to the dialogue, showcasing the potential for scalable and people-centric land solutions.
Key Sessions and Discussions
During the conference, Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj will represent India as a Country Champion in a plenary session focused on land tenure and governance reform. This session will explore the impact of the SVAMITVA Scheme on rural property rights, women’s empowerment, and dispute resolution. The discussions will contribute to global conversations surrounding Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 1.4.2, which addresses secure tenure rights to land.
Additionally, Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, will lead a technical session on establishing a land foundation for climate action and disaster risk management. This session will highlight the Gram Manchitra platform, which leverages high-resolution spatial data from the SVAMITVA Scheme to aid in village-level planning, solar energy site selection, disaster mitigation, and rural development. These sessions will emphasize best practices and innovative strategies for enhancing land tenure security and resilience against climate challenges.
Significance of India’s Participation
India’s involvement in the 2025 World Bank Land Conference signifies a pivotal moment in global rural land governance. Earlier this year, India hosted an International Workshop on Land Governance, attracting delegates from 22 countries. The SVAMITVA Scheme garnered significant interest during this event, with many nations expressing a desire to collaborate on digital mapping and geospatial initiatives.
The upcoming conference will serve as a platform for India to share its experiences and insights on land governance, further solidifying its role as a leader in digital land reforms. The agenda includes high-level plenary sessions, regional workshops, thematic exchanges, and an innovation expo, all aimed at accelerating secure land access and modernizing land administration systems. Through these efforts, India aims to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable approach to land governance on a global scale.
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