Although the government has temporarily opened the way for land subdivision in municipalities that have not classified their land by amending the Land Use Regulations 2079 for the third time, if the classification is not completed within the specified period, the subdivision will be stopped again from 1st Shrawan. 

This arrangement is not permanent, but the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration has stated that this arrangement is not permanent, but only the last deadline of mid-Ashar of the current fiscal year has been given to municipalities to complete the classification. There is a legal provision that automatically suspends subdivision from Shrawan in municipalities that do not classify land within that period.

Out of 753 municipalities across the country, only 340 have classified land in 10 sectors including agriculture and industrial. Still, 413 municipalities have not classified their land. Since the issuance of the Land Use Act, 2076 and Regulations 2079, subdivision cannot be done in municipalities that have not classified land. 

There is a provision that allows subdivision only after the municipality has classified the land. However, subdivision has been stopped several times when the municipality has not classified the land. In addition, the government has amended the regulations three times to classify municipalities. However, most municipalities have not completed the classification within the specified period. 

The Land Use Act, 2076 BS, stipulates that the Land Use Council formed at the local level should implement the classification and land use policy of land based on the maps and details provided by the government. According to the regulations, land should be classified into 10 categories including agriculture, residential, industry, forestry, mining and minerals, and commercial.

According to the ministry, land allotment will be stopped again from next Shrawan. In 2082, land allotment was stopped from Shrawan after 500 municipalities did not completely classify their land. Only 253 municipalities had completed the complete classification. Earlier, in 2081 Bhadra, land administration work including land allotment was stopped in 620 municipalities due to the failure to completely classify their land. Only 133 municipalities had completed the complete land classification. 

When the regulations were issued in Jestha 2079 BS, four forts had to be opened and agricultural areas were to be designated within six months. Until Mangsir 2079, only a few municipalities had allocated agricultural areas. After Mangsir 2079, land had to be classified into all 10 areas. However, after most municipalities did not classify the land, the regulation was amended on Shrawan 32, 2080, and a provision was made to open four forts and designate agricultural areas within a year.

The first amendment to the regulation allowed residential and commercial land to be divided into plots up to 80 square meters and agricultural land up to 1 ropani. Earlier, residential land could not be divided into plots less than 130 square meters. In the case of agricultural land, there was a provision that plots could not be divided into plots less than 500 square meters in the valley and 675 square meters in the Terai and inner Madhesh.

There are separate standards for agricultural, residential and commercial land classified by the government. The regulation states that the local road standards must be met for commercial housing. After the municipality did not classify it even after the first amendment extended the period by one year, the ministry amended the regulation for the second time in Bhadra 2081.

The Land Use Regulations 2079 were amended for the third time and provided for the designation of agricultural areas by opening four forts by mid-Ashar 2083. 176 municipalities have prepared plot-wise details, 130 municipalities have prepared the basis and criteria and updated the map, 61 municipalities have prepared the basis and criteria, 8 municipalities have only the agricultural area, and 38 municipalities have not started the work. 

The Ministry of Land has already asked the Law Ministry not to do it when the regulations were amended for the second time. The regulations have been amended even after that. On the other hand, the Ministry of Land has not moved forward with the discussion as there is a deadline until Ashar. 'There is still time left until Ashar. Let's see how many municipalities will complete it. But so far, discussions have not started on giving more time by amending the regulations or what to do,' said Ganesh Bhatt, spokesperson for the ministry.

Three years after the Land Use Act, 2076 was enacted, the government had started classifying land by issuing regulations on 23 Jestha 2079. The Auditor General's 62nd report has pointed out that land should be classified to practically manage land division.