The government has started preparing a comprehensive National Land Policy to clarify the state’s policy on ownership, use and overall management of land. The proposed policy is expected to provide a consolidated outlook of the government on the varieties of land issues as land-related policies have so far been introduced in bits and pieces.

Officials of the Ministry of Land Reform and Management (MoLRM) said that they were working to complete a final draft of the policy by mid-July next year. According to the ministry, the policy will incorporate issues concerning land tenure and ownership and access to land ownership for women, Dalit, Kamaiya, Haliya, landless people and tenants.

“After the government implemented the policy of reduced taxes for registering land in the name of women, the ratio of women’s ownership of land has gone up according to the recent census,” said Krishna Raj BC, joint secretary at the ministry. “However, the scheme was not incorporated in a single land policy.”

Likewise, the proposed policy will deal with optimum use of the available land resources and their sustainable management. It will also clarify the state’s policy on the use of land to enhance farm productivity, commercialization of land and food sovereignty, according to the ministry.

BC said that the proposed policy could help in designing the Agriculture Development Strategy that will replace the current Agriculture Perspective Plan by 2015. “When it comes to agriculture, proper use of land is essential,” he added. “It will also decide whether agricultural land should be allowed to be used for residential or other purposes.”

In addition, the policy will clarify the use of land for other purposes such as residences, industry and squatter settlements, among others, said the ministry.

BC said that that the policy would also address how to end dual ownership of land including by landowners and tenants. The dual land administration being run by the land revenue offices and Guthi has resulted in a complex situation.

BC said that the policy would also make the state’s position clear on whether Guthi should own large areas of land or certain plots with historical and religious significance. Other issues identified by the ministry are how to use land resources in the context of climate change and ecology.

The proposed policy will also give a clear direction on land mapping and their valuation, land fragmentation, legal and institutional structure, method of land reform and the role of the state and the community in this regard. 

The ministry is holding the first consultative meet on Monday on the proposed policy to collect views from stakeholders including experts, farmers and political parties, among others. Given the divergent views of the political parties on land reform and land use, BC said that it would be a challenging task to prepare a document that would please everybody.

source: The Kathmandu Post,21 Dec 2012