For decades, proving ownership of rural property in Karnataka began with something fragile: an entry in a Panchayat register. Records were scattered, verification was difficult and citizens often had to make repeated visits to secure Khatas, mutations, and approvals.
This led to inconvenience, duplicate records, ownership disputes, fraudulent transactions, and opportunities for manipulation in a largely manual system.
eSwathu 2.0 aims to transform the relationship among the citizen, property and the state. Launched in January 2026, it makes rural property administration faceless, contactless and paperless. Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department manages around 1.53 crore properties across 5,936 Gram Panchayats.
Already, 53.50 lakh properties have been issued eKhatas or property cards, underscoring the scale of the shift.
The difference lies in redesigning the process, not merely digitising the old one. A citizen can apply online, complete Aadhaar-based eKYC, upload documents and geolocate the property.
The system retrieves registered deeds, electricity supply details, Encumbrance Certificates and RTC records, verifies ownership and advances the application through a digital workflow. The service timeline is 15 working days.
Integration with KAVERI, Karnataka’s registration system, is important. It enables property verification and automated mutation, eliminating the need for citizens to navigate separate government systems. Public Draft eKhatas, objection mechanisms, digital audit trails and online appeals add another layer of transparency.
This covers properties including Grama Thana, Hakkupatra and approved layouts, while Form 11B addresses properties and buildings in unauthorised layouts created before 7 April 2025. Together, applications have reached 43.34 lakh for Form 11A and 10.16 lakh for Form 11B.
The greater significance of eSwathu 2.0, therefore, is not the disappearance of paper. It is the creation of a property record that can be authenticated, traced and trusted. Together, these changes make Khata a foundation for legal certainty in rural property governance.
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