Karnataka launches e-Svathu 2.0: Here’s how to apply and get e-account documents india news

Last updated:02 December, 2025, 15:22 IST

It will cover over 97 lakh rural properties, making it easier for owners to prove legal ownership when applying for bank loans, registration, building permission or government benefits.

For years, rural property ownership in Karnataka has depended on handwritten registers, fragmented village records and panchayat-level documentation that often differed from place to place. The lack of uniformity has made rural land records vulnerable to duplication, illegal site registration and long-running disputes.

With the rollout of e-Svathu 2.0, the Karnataka government is attempting to bring structure and transparency to the system by digitalizing rural property records across the state. The advanced platform has been designed to streamline the issuance of e-Khata for properties under Gram Panchayats.

According to officials, the initiative will cover over 97 lakh rural properties in phases, making it easier for owners to prove legal ownership while applying for bank loans, registration, building permission or government benefits.

Why is there a need for correction in rural property records?

Unlike urban areas governed by municipal corporations, rural property records have historically been maintained in physical ledgers, with entries updated unevenly over decades. In many villages, ownership history exists in multiple files without any central database. This led to unauthorized layouts years later and the original owners struggled to regularize their lands.

The government says e-Svathu 2.0 aims to close these gaps by bringing all verified rural properties into a single digital framework under the supervision of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.

What does e-Svathu 2.0 bring to the table

The platform operates with the Panchatantra software used by Gram Panchayats. It enables authorities to digitally generate e-khata for approved rural properties and issue two key documents – Form 9, which outlines ownership and valuation details, and Form 11B, which reflects tax-related information.

By standardizing documentation across all panchayats, the government hopes to reduce disputes, prevent fraud and create a reliable reference point for future transactions.

How can rural property owners apply?

Despite the move toward digital records, the application process remains entirely local. Citizens cannot apply online independently and have to visit their Gram Panchayat office. The state says this ensures that verification remains based on village level records while the final documentation is online.

The basic process works like this:

• Property owners should contact their local Gram Panchayat office where the property is located
• Applicants need to submit property documents such as sale deed, old account records if available, tax payment receipts and identity proof
• Panchayat staff verify ownership and property details using village registers and tax records
• After verification, officials log in to the e-Svathu portal using official credentials and biometric authentication
• Property data is digitally entered and validated through the Panchatantra system
• Once approved, the system generates e-account including Form 9 and Form 11B
• Applicants can collect printed copies or keep digital records for legal and financial use

Officials say properties with clear documentation are processed faster, while properties with disputed or poor records may require additional scrutiny.

exercise scale

The government has indicated that over 97 lakh properties will eventually be covered, with around 6.5 lakh properties currently being prioritized for streamlined processing. Panchayat offices are being trained to adapt to digital workflows, marking a shift away from discretionary manual practices.

For rural families, land often represents family security, inheritance, and livelihood. A verified e-account makes ownership clear, improves access to institutional credit and reduces dependence on intermediaries. From a governance perspective, digitized property records also support better tax collection and infrastructure planning.

A long-term change in rural governance

While challenges remain in reconciling decades-old records, e-Svathu 2.0 represents a structural shift in the way rural land is managed in Karnataka. By combining local verification with digital integrity, the state is attempting to bring clarity to a system that has long operated in uncertainty, one property record at a time.