Rewa Suspends 15 Patwaris Over Delays in SVAMITVA Property Survey Work

The Rewa district administration has suspended 15 patwaris, the village-level revenue officials, and issued show-cause notices to 127 others over what it described as negligence in work under the SVAMITVA scheme, according to a report by Navbharat Live published on 9 October. The action was taken on the direction of Collector Narendra Kumar Suryavanshi, and sub-divisional magistrates issued the suspension orders, the report said.

The report says the administration cited slow progress on the scheme's work and failure to follow instructions from senior officials as the reasons for the action. The 127 patwaris who received notices have been asked to explain the delays, and further steps may depend on their replies and on the administrative process. The report does not name the officials involved or say which tehsils or blocks they work in, and it does not describe the specific lapses or the amount of work still pending.

SVAMITVA is a central government scheme intended to survey and map inhabited rural land, generally with drone technology, and to prepare property records so that eligible families can receive documents confirming their ownership. Supporters of the scheme say such records can reduce property disputes in villages. The news agency IANS reported that the Madhya Pradesh government aims to register about 50 lakh rural properties free of charge under the programme, at an estimated cost of more than ₹3,800 crore, and that the documents can help beneficiaries obtain bank loans.

The Rewa action comes amid a wider dispute across the state. Patwari organisations in Madhya Pradesh have objected to the role given to patwaris in the registration process, citing possible legal liability if ownership disputes or errors in revenue records arise, IANS reported. The Free Press Journal reported on 29 September that the revenue department had asked districts for details of old corruption cases against patwaris, while the state association's president, Upendra Baghel, said members were staying away from SVAMITVA work and that no registry had been completed so far.

IANS reported that on 9 October representatives of the Madhya Pradesh Patwari Sangh met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in Bhopal and assured him of their cooperation with the scheme, while asking for written clarification of the legal provisions covering their role. The agency noted that figures circulating for dismissals and suspensions across the state were not consistent and should be checked before being relied upon. A related Navbharat Live report said patwaris would resume the work from 12 October.

The reports reviewed do not say whether the Rewa suspensions will be reviewed or the notices closed after the patwaris reply. A suspension is an interim administrative measure and does not by itself establish misconduct. For villagers waiting for property records, the practical question is whether survey and verification work in Rewa district picks up pace in the coming weeks, a point on which the administration has so far issued no timeline in the coverage seen by this desk.