सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kathmandu. Although land-related work in the country has been underway since 2035/36 BS, many problems remain. Although the country’s land use policy was implemented a few years ago, there are still various problems in land use due to its lack of proper implementation.
Cultivable land is being converted into human settlements, and as the attractiveness of agriculture decreases, land is becoming barren across the country. Recently, a cooperative sector under the three-pillar economic policy adopted by the country has been discredited.
It seems necessary to make this sector systematic, accountable, people-oriented and reliable. Nearly 20 percent of the population is still below the poverty line. In this context, the role of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, which covers all these sectors, is important.
Here is a conversation with Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, focusing on these issues:
It has been four months since you took charge of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation. What policies and programs are you implementing for the benefit of the country and the general public?
The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation is working in a way that brings about change. There are many complex problems related to land. Land classification has not been done properly because the land use policy has not been implemented properly. The government has given the responsibility of classifying land to local municipalities to classify land. A committee has also been formed on the issue of land use policy. There are many laws related to land and surveying. There is also talk of bringing a new law on this issue. Some people who have been living on land for generations are not getting land ownership certificates. They have been living, working and using it for years but are still saying that they do not have certificates. There is a saying that giving land to the landless and Dalits has been a slogan but has not been implemented. All problems should be resolved by forming a land problem resolution commission on this issue. Land distribution in the name of squatters or other names should be stopped. A central commission has been formed. Preparations are underway to operate an office in the district within this month of Mangsir. Even if there is some problem in the place where squatters live, preparations are being made to study it and solve the problem. If there is a problem in the work due to the law, we will amend the law and find a solution. Policies and programs have been made based on the priorities prepared by the government. While preparing the budget, there was talk of forming a commission to resolve land problems. The budget has been prepared accordingly.
What is the justification for forming a Land Problem Resolution Commission? What can be expected from it?
Land-related work has begun since 2035/36 BS. Various land-related bodies have worked. It is felt that this should also be integrated. Discussions are underway about it. The commission formed in 2051/52 BS was to provide land titles to the landless by giving 50/60 thousand lands. Since then, work has been started but has not been completed. In this fiscal year too, there was a preparation to provide one lakh land titles to the landless. But the commission has been facing a case. It has taken time to form the commission. The term of this commission is three years. If there are no obstacles, work can be done as per the target during that period. Some of the irregularities in this are being studied and the commission is also working on it.
What is the government’s current land use policy and program?
Our young people are leaving their villages, cultivable land is being converted into human settlements, and land is becoming barren across the country as interest in agriculture decreases. What is the ministry doing to address the problems seen in the field of land management?
In the past, it was seen that parents also encouraged one or two people to go abroad. Now, there is a habit of not working. It is necessary to make the youth understand that they should build their own villages. The government has now made arrangements to lease out barren farmland. Nepalis who cannot even work five/seven hours in Nepal have to go abroad and work 18 hours. It has also been seen that people who have gone abroad and returned to Nepal have started businesses in Nepal according to the skills they learned there. It is necessary to study where and what kind of business is right to do. Accordingly, the profession should also be done. It is time to discuss from all angles and find out what good employment opportunities can be provided to open industries and factories in Nepal. For that, the support of all agencies is necessary.
What are the problems related to dual ownership of land? There are many Nepalis who do not have land in their name due to legal obstacles. Have any efforts been made to address this?
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## The government has set standards for river banks. Not all rivers have the same standards. It is seen that people are living in places banned by the government from the river banks, violating policies and regulations. It is not known where nature will create disasters. Settlements should also be established based on natural resource values. Some people live as squatters even though they own their own property. The government needs to study who owns the land and where. It is necessary to develop a system to see whether they are real squatters or not. The government is responsible for making arrangements for the real squatters to live.
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## How long will it take for you to bring the Guthi Bill related to the Guthi Institute, which is directly linked to our religion, culture, tradition and historical heritage?
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## Guthi has made its own rules and regulations according to different districts, villages and places. All of them need to be integrated. There are many private and state guthis. There are different problems in the Kathmandu Valley and outside. Discussions are being held on bringing an act to integrate all of them. It is said that different cultures should be worked on by making procedures. It is necessary to expand the scope of the Guthi Institute. Records of Guthi land should be kept. Guthi is mentioned in some establishments, but it is not known how many there are. It is necessary to keep statistics on all these things. Discussions are being held on making this act to be brought soon.
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## ##Public complaints are still being heard about the functioning of the Land Revenue and Survey Office under the Ministry of Land Management. What kind of work is being done in the direction of good governance and its management?
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## It is necessary for the employees to be more effective in carrying out their work responsibilities in the office. There is a situation where employees do not go to the place, and employees do not want to go to remote places. They are assigned according to the vacancies. In Kathmandu, there is a situation where employees are assigned even in establishments where there are no vacancies in the valley. There is a system for employees to start working in two years, but if the employees feel like it, they themselves ask for a transfer. If the civil servant employees work with the idea that they should work in the interest of the nation, this problem will not arise.
In the current situation where a ‘cooperative’ sector under the three-pillar economic policy adopted by the country has been discredited, what are you doing to instill public confidence in cooperatives and make this sector systematic, accountable, people-oriented and reliable?
An attempt is being made to create the illusion that cooperatives are not good due to the mischief of some cooperatives and their operators, and this must be put to an end. The government has said that cooperatives are a sector under the country’s three-pillar economic policy. Cooperatives are a place for low-income people to save a little. The purpose of cooperatives is to work in groups. There are 31,400 cooperatives across the country. 145 of them are registered at the federal level, 3,000 at the provincial level and the rest at the local level. One or one and a half hundred at the federal, provincial and local levels may have done badly, but not all should be viewed in the same way. There are many examples of good work.
It seems that the necessary things have been left out when making the Cooperative Act. The act lacks effective control and regulation. When making a government act, it is necessary to advance the information center, establish a fund, and form a debt recovery tribunal and a regulatory body. After the parliamentary committee report came out, the implementation stage has been doubled. Discussions and studies are underway. Preparations are being made to amend the Cooperative Act and form a regulatory body. It has been reported that some are running it without renewing it. It is necessary to investigate and see how many cooperatives are in need of money and how many are not. The problems of three of the 22 cooperatives declared problematic by the center have been resolved. The cooperative is working by forming a problem resolution committee. Out of the remaining 19, 10 are expected to complete their work this year. It is necessary to organize the issues of cooperative loans and savings.
On the one hand, there is a flaw in the intentions of the operators, while on the other hand, rumors have been spread that those who have taken loans do not have to repay the loans. That is wrong, everyone should repay the loans taken on time. Before Tihar, 334 out of 6,163 borrowers have repaid the loans in full and some have repaid the minimum amount. Only after studying how many cooperatives are needed at a local level, will a cooperative be allowed to be opened in that place, and we are making a law that requires local people for this. The ministry is working to provide justice to the victims of cooperatives.
When about 20 percent of the country’s population is still below the poverty line, what are the policy efforts being made to raise the living standards of those people?
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## The responsibility of poverty alleviation cannot be carried out by one ministry alone. 14/15 ministries are working on poverty alleviation. Our ministry is working by increasing coordination among other ministries. After I assumed the responsibility of the ministry, I have held three meetings and held discussions. Our ministry is working to identify the poor and issue identity cards based on that. Work is being done to identify how many poor people are in which district. In addition, we are also planning how the nation can progress economically.
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## On the one hand, the government is working with limited resources, while on the other hand, challenges such as earthquakes, Covid, and various natural disasters have further increased the situation of poverty.
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## ##Finally, do you want to say anything?
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## This ministry is directly connected to the people. The budget is low according to the responsibilities of this ministry. The government only gives the budget to the employees. The budget should be given based on priorities and needs. If resources, means and budget are managed, then it can definitely work effectively. Everyone’s cooperation is necessary for this.
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