What Is the Gharouni Law? UP Villagers to Get Bank Loans on Homes Built on Abadi Land

In a major relief for rural residents, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed the Uttar Pradesh Rural Abadi Act, 2025, popularly known as the Gharouni Law. The legislation gives legal recognition to Gharouni documents, enabling villagers to secure bank loans for construction, repair, and other financial needs using their residential property records.

The law is being seen as a landmark reform aimed at strengthening property rights in rural areas and empowering villagers economically. It is the state-level legal implementation of the Central Government’s PM SVAMITVA Scheme, under which drone surveys are conducted to map residential land in villages.

Gharouni Gets Legal Status

With the passage of the Act, Gharouni has now become an officially recognized legal document, similar to Khatauni for agricultural land. Earlier, Gharouni certificates were issued through administrative procedures only. Now, they carry full legal validity, allowing for easier mutation, inheritance, sale, correction of records, and ownership verification.

Under the new law, details such as owner’s name, address, plot description, area, layout map, and geospatial information will be officially recorded. All Gharounis of a village will be compiled into a Gharouni Register, along with a separate Abadi Map.

What Is the Gharouni Law?

Gharouni is a legal ownership record of residential property in rural abadi areas, prepared through drone-based surveys. Each house is given a unique identification, clearly marking ownership and boundaries. The new law provides statutory backing to these records, making them legally enforceable.

Why Was the Law Needed?

The primary objectives of the Gharouni Law are to:

• Provide legal proof of ownership to rural residents
• Simplify mutation and record correction procedures
• Enable villagers to access bank loans, insurance, and financial services
• Reduce property disputes and illegal encroachments
• Strengthen transparency in land records

The law is expected to significantly enhance financial security and legal protection for rural households.

Boost to PM SVAMITVA Scheme

Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh, while presenting the bill in the Assembly, said the legislation gives legal sanctity to ownership records prepared under the PM SVAMITVA Scheme.

“The law ensures proper preservation, regular updation, and lawful management of Gharouni records,” he said, adding that it would bring long-term benefits for rural development.

Economic Benefits for Villagers

With legally recognized Gharouni documents, villagers can now:

• Avail bank loans and credit facilities
• Access insurance and financial services
• Use property as collateral
• Benefit from improved property tax assessment
• Support GIS-based planning and village-level development projects

Over 1.10 Lakh Villages Covered

The state government has signed an MoU with the Centre to implement the scheme across Uttar Pradesh.

• 1,10,344 villages have been notified under the scheme
• Drone surveys have been completed in 90,573 inhabited villages
• As of May 9, 2025, over 1.06 crore Gharouni documents have been prepared
• More than 1.01 crore Gharounis have already been distributed to villagers

Clear Rules for Mutation and Corrections

The law clearly defines procedures for name changes due to inheritance, succession, or sale, addressing a major gap that existed earlier. Each district will designate the District Magistrate as the Record Officer, ensuring accountability and streamlined governance.

Fewer Disputes, Planned Growth

According to the government, the implementation of the Gharouni Law will lead to:

• Fewer property disputes in villages
• Greater transparency in land records
• Improved taxation systems
• Better-planned rural development

Officials described the law as a historic and far-reaching step toward securing property rights and accelerating rural transformation in Uttar Pradesh.