KATHMANDU, Aug 25: Land transactions across Nepal fell sharply in the first month of the current fiscal year 2025/26, according to the Department of Land Management and Archives (DoLMA).
DoLMA said land transactions recorded between mid-July and mid-August (Shrawan) decreased by nearly 20 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. Data collected from 135 land revenue offices showed only 104,218 transactions in the review month, down from 127,206 a year earlier.
“About 500 local levels have yet to complete land classification. In areas without classification, stricter measures have been applied for plot registration, which has slowed transactions,” said Khimanand Acharya, DoLMA spokesperson.
Volume of electronic transactions decline despite rise in numbe...
The decline was also linked to the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority’s decision to declare 94 plots in Kathmandu illegal. The KVDA instructed survey and land revenue offices to halt transactions on these plots, contributing to stagnation in the capital.
Officials added that delays in bank loan processing during the review month also played a role in decline in land transactions. Banks usually finalize transactions in Asar (mid-June to mid-July) and disburse new loans in Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September), which slows property deals at the start of the fiscal year.
Land transactions have been on a downward trend since the past two years. DoLMA reported around 1.6 million transactions in 2023/24, compared to 1.54 million in 2024/25—a decline of about 60,000 deals.
Despite the drop, land revenue for 2024/25 stood at Rs 51.42 billion. From mid-July to mid-March that year, the government collected Rs 28.49 billion, compared to Rs 25.43 billion in the same period of 2023/24. DoLMA provided exemptions worth Rs 469 million, including Rs 349 million for women, Rs 110 million for differently-abled individuals, and Rs 10 million for others.
The department also resolved dual ownership issues in 1,424 cases, distributing 281,600 square meters of land among owners and tenants.
Nepal currently has 11.47 million landowners, with men holding 61 percent of ownership (6.98 million) and women 39 percent (4.48 million). In urban areas, women account for nearly half of all landowners.
Land transactions between men and women were nearly equal in 2023/24, with 403,451 men and 402,241 women involved in deals. Nationwide, there are 32.85 million registered plots—22.02 million under men’s names and 9.76 million under women’s names.
