It has already initiated the process of collecting details of land owned by people after a hiatus of nine years. It had so far been failing to implement the ceiling on land ownership due to lack of political stability and cooperation from political parties.[break]
“We are working on a plan to sell land in excess of the ceiling set by the government to freed Kamaiyas, Dalits, indigenous groups and other backward groups,” Madhav Regmi joint secretary at the Ministry of Land Reform and Management (MoLRM) told Republica.
The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government had tried to implement the land ceiling system in 2001 after amending the Land Act 1964.
“We have already instructed our district offices to resume the process of maintaining statistics of land across the country as per the 5th Amendment (2001) to the Land Act 1964. We will put on sale all land plots that are in excess of the ceiling set by the government,” Regmi added.
As per the 5th Amendment to Land Act, a person can own 25 ropanis of land in Kathmandu Valley, 10 bighas in Tarai districts and 79 ropanis in all hilly districts (except Kathmandu valley). Likewise, a person can own five ropanis of land in Kathmandu Valley and hilly districts and one bigha in Tarai districts as homestead. Before the amendment to the Act, an individual could own a maximum of 50 ropanis in Kathmandu and 20 bighas in Tarai.
Regmi said land reform offices will undertake the responsibility of collecting data of land, while the land revenue offices will collect the data in districts where land revenue offices have not been opened.
MoLRM has authorized the land reform offices and land revenue offices across the country to issue 35-day notice, asking people to furnish their land ownership details.
“People can submit the details at concerned municipalities or village development committees if their land ownership is below the ceiling,” Regmi said, adding, “If their land ownership is more than the approved ceiling, owners have to submit details at land revenue offices or land reform offices.”
The Department of Land Reforms and Management has allocated a budget of Rs 106.6 to collect land ownership details.
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