‘Survey of India’, the oldest scientific institution of the government of India, is making digital maps of villages with the help of drones for the first time. Through the digital mapping, Rural Residential Rights Record would be prepared in nearly 82,000 villages of the state. In the process villagers would be able to access records of every village and every house built in the village.
The survey work is being carried out in seven districts of Bundelkhand to prepare digital maps with the help of drones. A target has been set to be completed in April this year under the supervision of the Revenue Council. According to the Revenue department officials, under the ‘Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas’ (SVAMITVA) scheme launched by the Central government, survey work is being undertaken through nearly 45 drones in the villages of all seven districts of Bundelkhand.
In the survey, the map prepared would have the name of the owner along with the village house and the Khasra number. Based on this map, the Rural Residential Rights Record (Gharauni) would be prepared.
At present, there was no concrete record of residences built in villages. The Revenue department had access to the details of agricultural land in ‘Khatauni’, but there was no map and house number of the houses built in the villages. Taking cognizance of this, last year the Central Government decided to prepare the Rural Residential Rights Records (Gharauni) on the basis of the SVAMITVA scheme.
Under this scheme launched by the Centre, after surveying via drones in 575 villages in the state, houses of nearly 8,000 villages have been prepared and allotted to the villagers. At present, survey work is being done at a fast pace via drones in Bundelkhand. Officials say that it is time to complete the survey work in Bundelkhand before April 24.
There is a plan to distribute houses to the villagers directly by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. After that survey work would be done in villages of other districts in UP. In all 80,000 villages of the state, there is a plan to provide Rural Residential Rights Records i.e. Gharauni to villagers in two years surveying through drones.
Jhansi District Magistrate Andra Vamsi said unique ID of villages is being generated through ‘Gharauni’. There would also be classification of houses and this would reduce land disputes. All records would be made available online.
–IANS