The opposition has raised questions when the Land Bill claims social justice for squatters, Dalits and the landless.
What you should know
The House of Representatives has passed the Land Bill with a majority. In the Friday meeting of the House of Representatives, Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced that the Bill, 2082 to amend some Nepal Acts related to land was passed by a majority.
The proposal made by the Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari to pass the Bill was passed by the majority of the House of Representatives.
Minister Adhikari said that the government has introduced a land bill to provide land to landless squatters, landless Dalits and unorganized residents. MPs raised questions during the discussion on the
bill and the report of the Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resources Committee under the House of Representatives. In response, the minister said that this bill was brought for the benefit of the country and the people. He said that the bill was brought by reforming the provisions of the land-related act. "This bill has been brought to end the policy of always distributing land and setting up settlements randomly," he said. He said that after the implementation of the bill as a law, the squatters will not live randomly and will stay systematically within the laws of the state.
Minister Adhikari said, 'landless Dalits and squatters have been arranged to be given land at the place where they live . If that place is risky, it will be settled elsewhere in coordination with the municipality.' He said that after the implementation of this bill, the problem of land relations in Nepal will be solved for years.
During the discussion on the bill, MP Prakash Jwala asked, 'Why is it being passed in a hurry?' He raised the question. It is a fundamental right for squatters and landless people to get land. But in the name of squatters, landless people, the land mafia has been fed, it is condemnable,' he said .
Jaspa, Nepal MPs Rajkishore Yadav and Prakash Adhikari have criticized the bill. Yadav said that the expected class will not benefit from the bill. The MP officer said, 'This bill has not been constitutionally analyzed, the impact on water-forest-land has not been studied, it has come to benefit the land mafia.'
Maoist chief whip Hitraj Pandey said that some of the provisions of the bill are not feasible. He said that after the implementation of the bill, there will be no interest of the common people. Maoist whip Rupa Sosi Choudhary has accused the bill of providing land to squatters, landless and Dalits, but the provisions that benefit the real estate businessmen have been included in the bill.
UML Member of Parliament Vasudev Ghimire claimed that the Bill has been brought in consideration of the demands of the citizens and the suggestions of MPs. "It has made a historic achievement in social justice, equality and inclusive state building," he said.
Congress MP Rajan KC and UML MP Saraswati Subba said that the bill has come in the form of social justice for squatters, Dalits and the landless.
