Government to Provide Rs 15,000 Monthly House Rent to Genuine Squatters

Kathmandu. The government is preparing to provide a monthly house rent of Rs 15,000 for temporary management until genuine squatters are provided with land ownership certificates (Lalpurja). Government representatives provided this information in a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives on Thursday.

According to Committee Chairman Hari Dhakal, the ministers and officials of the Ministry of Urban Development and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, while presenting the progress report on squatter management so far, provided information about the said plan. 'Screening' is being done to identify the landless currently in various holding centers in Kathmandu. The government's goal is to distribute Lalpurja through a 'fast track' as soon as this process is completed.

The Ministry of Urban Development has informed the committee that the necessary resources for this purpose have been secured. Chairman Dhakal said, 'In the context of Kathmandu, screening of the landless in the holding centers is underway. The government is preparing to provide a monthly house rent of Rs 15,000 until they receive Lalpurja, and we have received information that the resources for this have been secured.'

In addition, the government claims that a school bus has been arranged for the education of children from squatter families in the holding centers and appropriate arrangements have been made for the nutrition of lactating mothers. The parliamentary committee has also decided to conduct an on-site inspection to understand the reality of the details presented by the government and the status of work progress.

The government has stated that priority is being given to identifying genuine squatters and arranging for their permanent settlement.