Steps will be taken to expedite the process of amending the Land Ordinance said Minister of Lands S.M. Chandrasena. Addressing the first meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Lands recently.
Responding to a question raised by SLPP Parliamentarian Jagath Pushpakumara, the Minister said the main purpose of the amendment is to issue deeds to lands. The Minister said that there are many issues in implementing the Bimsaviya program and that such issues could be solved by amending the Act.
Minister Chandrasena said a program has been launched to provide lands to nearly 100,000 young entrepreneurs under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’ Policy Statement and added that around 600,000 applications have been received so far. Although the deadline for the submission of application expired on November 15, the Minister has instructed the Land Ministry officials to extend the deadline by another month after considering the requests by the members of the Consultative Committee.
The Committee also discussed the need to control acquisition of land fraudulently. MP Chinthaka Mayadunne highlighted the illegality of returning lands taken over by the Government under ‘possession’ to the same parties. He said illegal acquisition of lands was taking place in Puttalam.
Minister Chandrasena informed the Committee that steps will be taken to issue a circular regarding lands belonging to the Land Reforms Commission soon. Discussions were also held regarding the regularisation of land surveying activities of lands belonging to the Commission.
Strengthening of the Buddhist Temples and Shrines Act was also discussed at the Committee. MP Sampath Athukorala said a land in Niyagama owned by the National Vocational Training Centre had been given to a private ally during the previous government and requested that action be taken to acquire the land. The Minister instructed the officials to take immediate action in this regard.
The Committee also focused on initiating a program to expedite land surveying throughout the island.