AUG 12: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today hailed the SVAMITVA (Survey Village and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme as a transformative initiative that has empowered citizens to take ownership of their land rights, ending decades of dependence on revenue officers and patwaris.
Chairing a high-level review of the Survey of India at Parliament House, Dr. Singh described SVAMITVA as a global model of citizen-centric governance, noting that it allows citizens to self-map their land holdings and has inspired similar efforts abroad.
He praised the National Geospatial Policy 2022 for democratizing access to geo-spatial data, making it a valuable resource for governance, planning, and public use. The harmonization of boundaries in collaboration with the Registrar General of India was highlighted as a milestone achievement in the Survey of India’s modernization journey.
Dr. Singh underscored the department’s role in supporting flagship government programmes, including AMRUT, Smart Cities, the Digital Twin Mission, and the NAKSHA Scheme. He outlined plans to integrate AI and Machine Learning, strengthen cross-departmental collaboration, and expand citizen services through advanced mapping technologies.
Key achievements cited include the creation of high-accuracy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), operationalization of 478 Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), and the development of a Geodetic Asset Register for states, districts, and talukas to facilitate local administration.
The Minister called for a national workshop to enhance awareness of the Survey of India’s capabilities and announced plans for ultra-high-resolution topographical surveys—5–10 cm accuracy for urban and rural areas, and 50–100 cm for forests and wastelands—by 2030.
Internationally, Dr. Singh recalled MoUs signed with Russia and Nigeria in geo-spatial cooperation, with six more collaborations in progress.
The meeting was attended by DST Secretary Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Surveyor General Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana, and senior officials.
 for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh today hailed the SVAMITVA){kind=link}