India was honored as a ‘Country Champion’ at the World Bank Land Conference 2025.
- Recognition for its leadership in digital rural land governance and decentralized planning.
- Commended for pioneering initiatives like SVAMITVA and Gram Manchitra.
Key Initiatives Recognized
1. SVAMITVA Scheme
(Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas)
- Objective: To provide clear ownership of residential land in rural areas.
- Methodology: Drone-based high-resolution mapping of land parcels.
- Implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
- Achievements:
- 68,000 sq. km
- 1.16 trillion worth of land monetized.
- Promotes financial inclusion and land rights formalization.
- Acts as a scalable global model for rural transformation.
2. Gram Manchitra Platform
- Type: GIS-based spatial planning tool for Gram Panchayats.
- Purpose:
- Enables data-driven, climate-resilient, and integrated planning.
- Facilitates convergence of various rural development schemes.
- Significance:
- Especially relevant for Global South
- Enhances local governance capacity through digital tools.
Global Relevance and Impact
Efficient Land Governance Promotes:
- Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods:
- Clear land titles improve access to credit.
- Boosts rural businesses and job creation.
- Private Capital Mobilization:
- Land as collateral attracts investment.
- Encourages wealth reinvestment.
- Infrastructure Development:
- Reliable land records support property taxation.
- Generates revenue for public services and infrastructure.
- Urban & Disaster Planning:
- Accurate land data aids urban expansion and risk management.
- Gender Equality & Food Security:
- Enhancing women’s land access can raise agricultural productivity by 4%.
- Revenue Enhancement:
- Property taxes constitute only 6% of GDP in low-income countries vs 2.2% in industrialized nations.
India’s digital innovations in land governance have emerged as global benchmarks. Schemes like SVAMITVA and Gram Manchitra reflect India’s commitment to inclusive, technology-led rural development. The ‘Country Champion’ title underscores India’s leadership in land rights formalization, rural empowerment, and climate-smart planning.
