Kathmandu: The National Assembly members have raised concerns that the bill concerning the amendment of certain Acts related to land requires rewriting, as it potentially allows for the misuse of public, community, and Guthi lands. This demand was voiced during deliberations on the ‘Bill designed to Amend Some Nepal Acts Relating to Land, 2082’ held on Tuesday.
According to National News Agency Nepal, several National Assembly members, including Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achhami, Ghanashyam Rijal, and Kiran Babu Shrestha, among others, expressed the need for the Minister’s response regarding suspicions that land leased for industrial and agricultural activities was being divided into smaller plots. The members also emphasized the importance of providing land guarantees to landless and squatter dwellers, highlighting concerns that the bill could potentially benefit land mafias and brokers instead.
A proposal seeking passage of the bill was tabled by the Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, and was accompanied by a message from the House of Representatives. In addressing the queries raised by the assembly members, Minister Adhikari assured that land management would be conducted transparently. He emphasized the involvement of active representatives from all political parties at the ward and local levels to prevent irregularities. Furthermore, provisions would be made for individuals tilling land for an extended period without owning land elsewhere to receive ownership of the land they have been using.
Additionally, the Chairperson of the Legislation Management Committee, Tulasa Kumari Dahal, presented the Committee’s report, 2080, during the National Assembly meeting.