Govt forms taskforce on scientific land mgmt

KATHMANDU, Dec 22: The government on Wednesday formed a seven-member taskforce to make recommendations on bringing about scientific land reforms in the country, in an effort to implement the provision relating to management of land envisioned in the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement.



The taskforce headed by Minister for Land Reforms Bhim Prasad Gautam has been mandated to prepare a report on the basis of previous reports prepared by the high-level commission on scientific land reforms. [break]



A meeting of the political committee of the cabinet held at the prime minister´s office on Wednesday evening took a decision to this effect.



According to Minister for Industry Anil Kumar Jha, secretaries of the forest ministry, agriculture ministry, land reform and management ministry, prime minister´s office (PMO), law and justice ministry and the vice-chairman of National Planning Commission have been designated as the members of the taskforce.



In the past, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government had formed a High Level Scientific Land Reform Commission (HLSLR) headed by Haribol Gajurel, while the government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal had formed a committee headed by Ghanendra Basnet. However, none of the reports have yet been implemented.



When asked why the incumbent government decided to form such a taskforce, Jha said, “The government formed the taskforce as per the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Accord.”



Similarly, the meeting has formed a three-member taskforce comprising secretaries from the general administration ministry, home ministry and the PMO to recommend whether or not the government should give continuity to regional administration.



The prime minister´s press advisor Ramrijhan Yadav said the meeting formed the taskforce to finalize the issue as participants at the meeting spoke both for and against giving continuity to regional administration.



Jha claimed that there was already a two-year-old document regarding regional administration and the present government has just taken forward the same document.



Also, Wednesday´s meeting decided to recognize Jestha 15 as National Day. There was no national day in the country as Falgun 7 is marked as Democracy Day, Chaitra 26 also as Democracy Day and Jestha 14 as Republic Day in the country.

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