Date: 2025-08-12Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Success Story of "SVAMITVA" (Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme Empowers Citizens to Be Masters of Their Own Destiny: Dr. Jitendra Singh
**Summary:**
Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, highlighted the success of the SVAMITVA scheme (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) as a global model for citizen-centric governance, empowering citizens through self-mapping of land and reducing reliance on traditional revenue officials. During a high-level review of the Survey of India, Dr. Singh lauded the National Geospatial Policy 2022 for democratizing geospatial data access and utility. The Survey of India's technical expertise supports flagship government schemes like AMRUT, Smart Cities, Digital Twin Mission, and NAKSHA Scheme. Plans are underway to integrate AI and Machine Learning for technology upgrades and enhance collaboration with other departments. The Survey of India is developing high-accuracy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and establishing Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), along with Geodetic Asset Registers at state, district, and taluka levels to improve citizen service delivery. A national workshop will be organized to promote awareness of the Survey of India's capabilities. The National Geodetic Reference Framework (NGRF) has 478 operational CORS through collaborative efforts. Building upon Prime Minister Modi's facilitation of MoUs with Russia and Nigeria, six more international collaborations are in progress. The Survey of India aims to achieve 5-10 cm high-resolution topographical surveying and mapping of urban and rural areas, and 50-100 cm resolution for forests and wastelands, by 2030. The meeting was attended by Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Surveyor General of India Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, and senior officials.
Key Entities Referenced
SVAMITVA Scheme: A scheme involving survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas, empowering citizens.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.
National Geospatial Policy 2022: A policy aimed at democratizing geospatial data, enabling wider accessibility and utility across government and public sectors.
Survey of India: The national surveying and mapping organization of India, responsible for geospatial data and surveying.
AMRUT Mission: Flagship scheme related to urban rejuvenation and transformation.
Smart Cities: An urban development program to develop smart and sustainable cities across the country.
Digital Twin Mission: A mission focused on creating digital replicas of physical entities for various applications.
NAKSHA Scheme: A scheme related to mapping and spatial data.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Success Story of "SVAMITVA" (Survey Village and
Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village
Areas) scheme Empowers Citizens to Be Masters of
Their Own Destiny: Dr. Jitendra Singh
"SVAMITVA" is a Global Model of Citizen-Centric
Governance to Be Emulated Worldwide
Dr. Jitendra Singh Chairs High-Level Review of
Survey of India; Lauds National Geospatial Policy
2022
Survey of India’s Technical Expertise also Driving
Govt of India’s Flagship Schemes like Amrut, Smart
Cities, Digital Twin Mission, and NAKSHA Scheme
Lays out plan for 5–10 cm high-resolution
topographical survey and mapping of urban and rural
areas, and 50–100 cm for forests and wastelands, by
the year 2030
Posted On: 12 AUG 2025 2:52PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today said that
success stories like the SVAMITVA (Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village
Areas) scheme, which stands for Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas
have transformed citizens into masters of their own destiny, ending decades of dependence on the mercy of
revenue officers and patwaris. The programme, he noted, has emerged as a global model of citizen-centric
governance, enabling self-mapping of land by citizens themselves and inspiring adoption by other countries.Chairing a high-level review meeting of the "Survey of India" at the Parliament House, Dr. Jitendra Singh
hailed the National Geospatial Policy 2022 as a game-changer that has democratized geo-spatial data,
enabling wider accessibility and utility across government and public sectors. He pointed out that, in
collaboration with the Registrar General of India, the harmonization of boundaries has been
completed—marking a milestone in the transformation of the Survey of India in recent years.
Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that the Survey of India’s technical expertise underpins several flagship
schemes, including the SVAMITVA scheme, AMRUT Mission, Smart Cities, Digital Twin Mission and
NAKSHA Scheme. He outlined plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for
technology upgrades, create synergies with other science and government departments, and ensure they can
fully utilize the department’s world-class facilities.
Highlighting technological advancements, Dr. Jitendra Singh cited the development of high-accuracy Digital
Elevation Models (DEMs), a shift from being map producers to becoming geo-spatial enablers for multiple
sectors of the economy. He praised the department’s proactive engagement with ministries, as well as the
establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) and the creation of a Geodetic Asset
Register at the state, district, and taluka levels. These registers, to be made available to Tehsildars, will
significantly ease citizen-centric service delivery.The Minister directed the department to organize a national workshop with all ministries, departments, and
states to enhance awareness about the vast capabilities of the Survey of India. He lauded the National
Geodetic Reference Framework (NGRF), noting that 478 CORS are already operational with the collaboration
of other departments.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s facilitation of bilateral MoUs with Russia and Nigeria in the field
of geo-spatial data and surveying, Dr. Singh revealed that six more such international collaborations are under
process.
The Minister also laid out a plan for 5–10 cm high-resolution topographical surveying and mapping of urban
and rural areas, and 50–100 cm for forests and wastelands, to be completed by the year 2030.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Abhay Karandikar,
Surveyor General of India Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, and senior officials from the Department of Science &
Technology and Survey of India.***
NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2155440)