CHITWAN, AUGUST 21
Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation Shashi Shrestha viewed that poverty alleviation efforts would be effective if the land was managed properly.
At a programme organised as part of the distribution of land ownership certificates to the landless people in Chitwan today, Minister Shrestha asserted that proper management of land would create jobs while eliminating poverty. According to her, the incumbent government was working towards building a self-reliant economy through proper utilisation of land. Addressing the problems facing the landless squatters within a set deadline in the next two years is a priority of the government, she reminded.
The minister shared that her ministry was considering waiving loan of farmers who had got loan before 1992. On a different note, she said, "The incumbent government is here to safeguard the constitution."
Similarly, State Minister at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Umesh Shrestha opined that poverty would be alleviated in those places where lands were managed properly. On the occasion, 120 landless squatters from Bharatpur Metropolitan City were provided land ownership certificates. Each household was provided eight dhur land (around 135 square metres).
According to the National Land Commission District Committee Chitwan's Chairperson Badri Timalsina, land ownership certificate could not be distributed to 13 families due to technical issues. Likewise, Bharatpur Metropolitan City Mayor Renu Dahal pledged that all the landless squatters registered with the commission would gradually get land for settlement. She said that the metropolis was cooperating with the commission for the same.
Earlier, the commission had provided landownership certificates to 46 landless families residing in Bharatpur Metropolitan City, 46 families from Ward No 29, 28 from Icchakamana Municipality and 17 from Rapti Municipality. There are a total of 41,357 landless Dalit, landless squatters and those living in unmanaged settlements registered with the commission, according to the commission.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 22, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
