President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed officials to grant deeds for disputeless lands occupied by the public within three months.
The President pointed out that during his recent island-wide one of the major issues raised by the people in many districts was that non-availability of title deeds to their lands.
President Rajapaksa said although the people have lived and cultivated lands for generations, not having title deeds have severely affected them. He emphasized that in order to solve the issue the land policy should be amended to suit the needs of the country and the economic policy.
President made these remarks during a meeting to discuss future activities of the State Ministry of Land Management Affairs, State Business Lands and Property Development held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (02).
People face severe hardships and the development suffers major setbacks due to non-availability of land deeds.
The President is also of the view that the land policy is very important in boosting an agrarian economy.
The transfer of leased lands by the Land Reforms Commission, other agencies or other parties after development is another issue faced by the cultivators.
The President instructed officials not to allow such a situation to persist.
President Rajapaksa pointed out the importance of using the uncultivated agricultural lands belonging to the Land Reform Commission for suitable cultivations and said that by leasing those lands to young entrepreneurs we can encourage them to contribute to the national economy.
‘Under various governments, Presidents have issued title deeds to the people. Nevertheless, the people have faced many difficulties in getting a mortgage loan or converting these lands into economic units’, said Basil Rajapaksa, the Head of the Presidential Task Force in charge of Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication.
When leasing land to foreign investors, agreements will be signed in the manner and form that ease the process of obtaining loans and other facilities. President Rajapaksa stressed the importance of preparing deeds in such a manner so that the people also could have access to such facilities in the future.
The people have to get the approval of more than 20 institutions to clear a land on a lease basis. It was revealed that it would take years.
The President also instructed that steps should be taken to grant clear title deeds to lands subject to simple conditions without allowing such situations.
The President also highlighted the necessary conditions should be created within the state machinery so as to respond within 14 days to a request made to a state institution for approval.
Minister S.M. Chandrasena, State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera and Cabinet and State Ministry Secretaries and officials of line institutions were also present at the discussion.
