KATHMANDU, Jan 16: Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Kumar Ingnam said that good governance must begin with individuals and institutions themselves.
Inaugurating land administration-related services at Kageshwori Manohara Municipality on Friday, Minister Ingnam said good governance cannot be ensured unless corruption, middlemen, and brokerage practices are eliminated.
Highlighting the need to counter corruption and the prevalence of middlemen and brokers in public institutions, including land revenue offices, the minister said that everyone—from political leadership and the bureaucracy to ordinary citizens—must play a responsible role in establishing good governance.
Where there is government, there is corruption!
He stressed that it is essential to build a transparent and accountable administrative system by addressing misgovernance. “We all speak against misgovernance. Now, we must walk the talk and let good governance start with ourselves,” he said.
Calling corruption the root cause of misgovernance, the minister noted that citizens are currently suffering due to systemic failures and urged all stakeholders to take firm action against corrupt practices.
He also said there was a need to change the narrative branding the Ministry of Land Management as the “Ministry of Venality.” “We must collectively identify individuals who tarnish the image of the ministry and state institutions and socially boycott them,” he added.
On another note, Minister Ingnam said coordinated efforts were underway among federal, provincial, and local governments to make land administration fair, transparent, and citizen-friendly.
At the event, it was shared that the newly launched land revenue service will soon be expanded to 10 more local levels, including Jhapa, Morang, Pokhara, and western parts of the country.
Expressing confidence in the new system, the minister said it would ensure faster and more efficient service delivery at land revenue offices while significantly reducing the influence of middlemen and brokers.
