Overview
NAKSHA — National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations — is a pioneering pilot programme launched on February 18, 2025, by Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. It operates under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) and aims to revolutionise urban land records through advanced geospatial and drone-based survey technology.
The pilot covers 152 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across 26 States and 3 Union Territories, surveying an area of 4,142.63 sq km and benefiting over 1.5 crore citizens. The programme is fully funded by the Central Government at an estimated cost of ₹194 crore. After the pilot phase, NAKSHA is planned for expansion to 4,912 Urban Local Bodies across India.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Form | National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations |
| Launched | February 18, 2025 |
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of Rural Development |
| Implementing Agency | Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Survey of India, NICSI, MPSeDC |
| Parent Programme | Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) |
| Pilot Cost | ₹194 crore (100% Government of India funding) |
| Pilot Coverage | 152 ULBs across 26 States and 3 UTs |
| Area Covered | 4,142.63 sq km |
| Target Population | Over 1.5 crore citizens |
| Pilot Duration | One year |
| Future Expansion | 4,912 Urban Local Bodies |
Objectives
- Create and update comprehensive urban land records with transparency, efficiency, and accuracy
- Build a GIS-integrated database of urban land parcels using cutting-edge aerial and field survey techniques
- Reduce property disputes by providing clear, digitised land records accessible to the public
- Enable urban planning, municipal governance, and property tax rationalisation through accurate data
Key Features
- Drone-based Land Survey: Uses advanced drone technology for high-resolution aerial survey of urban habitations — similar to the SVAMITVA scheme approach but designed for urban areas
- Web-GIS Platform: All surveyed data integrated into a publicly accessible Web-GIS platform for digital land record access
- CORS Network: Leverages Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for centimetre-level mapping accuracy
- Public Accessibility: Digital land records made available to citizens, reducing the need for physical verification and curbing corruption in land record management
- Five Centres of Excellence (CoEs): Capacity-building and technical training conducted through five national CoEs
Pilot Selection Criteria
- ULBs with area less than 35 sq km
- Population less than 2 lakh
- Coverage across 26 States and 3 Union Territories to ensure national representation
Difference from SVAMITVA
| Feature | SVAMITVA | NAKSHA |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Rural inhabited (Abadi) areas | Urban habitations |
| Target | ~6.62 lakh villages | 4,912 ULBs (pilot: 152) |
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of Panchayati Raj | Ministry of Rural Development (DoLR) |
| Property Output | Property cards / Title deeds | Updated urban land records on Web-GIS |
| Agricultural Land | Excluded | Not applicable |
Latest Developments
- February 18, 2025: NAKSHA pilot launched by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, across all 152 pilot ULBs simultaneously
- June 2025: Second phase of capacity-building under NAKSHA commenced across five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in the country
- Expansion Plan: Post-pilot, the government plans to scale NAKSHA to cover 4,912 ULBs nationally — transforming urban land governance across India
- Technology Partners: Survey of India, NICSI (National Informatics Centre Services Inc.), MPSeDC, and five national Centres of Excellence are providing technical support
Prelims Importance
- NAKSHA full form: National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations
- Launched: February 18, 2025, by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Parent programme: DILRMP (Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme)
- Implementing agencies: Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Survey of India, NICSI
- Pilot: 152 ULBs across 26 States and 3 UTs
- Pilot cost: ₹194 crore (100% Central Government funding)
- Area surveyed: 4,142.63 sq km
- Expansion target: 4,912 Urban Local Bodies
- Selection criteria: ULBs with area <35 sq km and population <2 lakh
- Technology: Drone-based survey + CORS Network + Web-GIS platform
Mains & Interview Importance
GS Paper 2 — Governance:
- Discuss the significance of digital land records in reducing property disputes and improving urban governance. How does NAKSHA complement SVAMITVA?
- Analyse the role of geospatial technology in land reform and its implications for urban planning in India.
GS Paper 3 — Economy, Infrastructure:
- How can accurate urban land records facilitate municipal revenue enhancement, ease of doing business, and rational urban expansion?
- Evaluate the convergence of drone technology and GIS platforms in modernising India’s land administration.
Interview Angle: “India has two parallel drone-based land survey programmes — SVAMITVA for rural areas and NAKSHA for urban areas. What institutional challenges arise when different ministries run similar technology programmes? Would a unified land survey mission be more efficient?”
Sources: Department of Land Resources, PIB, Vision IAS, Insights on India