Process of amending land use regulation will be moved forward: Minister Sinha

Kathmandu, Sept 23: Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Anil Kumar Sinha, has signed on a decision to forward the process for amending the laws related to land use. Assuming office at the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation in Singha Durbar today, he said although many works have been carried out in the land reform sector so far, problems remained to be resolved and this has affected the development activities as well. He added that the amendment to the regulations on land use have been made for addressing the problem. "There is a need to amend the Land Use Act and Regulations keeping especially topics as halt in land plotting, obstruction in using land for development projects, and conservation and utilization of the agricultural land, in priority," he said. Minister Sinha expressed the view that the powers granted to local levels are insufficient and that necessary facilitation should be provided from the center, emphasizing that land management should be conducted in a scientific and objective manner with the country and the people at the center. Secretary and high officials at the Ministry welcomed the Minister on the occasion and briefed him about the ministry's present situation, its action plan and priorities.