President wants overhaul of land problems

•  Instructs Land Act amendment to suit current development needs
• Discussions point to need for a new National Land Policy
• Officials directed to resolve issues of lands under Provincial Councils through a Land Commission
• Land ownership and usage to be assessed at Grama Niladhari Divisions level
• Steps to be taken to redistribute among public lands acquired for Govt. purposes but not yet utilised
• Greater efficiency urged at Survey Department and Valuation Department

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday instructed the relevant officials to amend the existing ordinances regarding lands to suit the current development needs. The President was also informed to appoint a suitable committee to speed up the work.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued these instructions during a discussion held on amending the provisions of the ordinances of land management institutions and introducing new regulations.

Pointing out that the land policies brought during the colonial period are still being implemented in the country, the President also said that the ordinances brought at different times related to land use are not in line with the development needs of the time.

President wants...

It was also discussed at length about the preparation of a new National Land Policy by removing the existing obstacles in providing land for development activities. The President instructed the officials to resolve the issues of the lands under the Provincial Councils through a Land Commission. The President also instructed the officers to identify the details of the land owners in the Grama Niladhari Divisions and the amount of land that is currently utilised and the amount of land that has not been utilised and prepare a report at Divisional Secretariat levels.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe informed the officers to take steps to redistribute among the public the lands acquired for Government purposes but not yet utilised, and in the future to acquire lands for Government purposes by paying the market value of the respective lands.

In order to avoid the delay in the works of the Survey Department and the Valuation Department, the President also instructed to take steps to fill the vacancies in those departments promptly.

Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President on National Security Sagala Ratnayake, President Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Ministry of Public Administration , Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government  Secretary K.D.N. Ranjith Asoka, Ministry of Tourism & Lands Secretary  H.M.B.P. Herath, Ministry Of Wildlife & Forest Resources Conservation Secretary  R.M.C.M. Herath, Ministry of Irrigation Secretary  U.D.C Jayalal, Ministry of Plantation Industries Secretary Janaka Dharmakeerthi and other Government officials were present at this discussion.