Copies of petitions filed against State Land Bill received by P’ment

Wednesday, 10 July 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Parliament has received copies of the petitions filed against the State Land (Special Provisions) Bill on par with the provisions of Article 121 (1) of the Constitution, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya confirmed to Parliament yesterday.

The State Land (Special Provisions) Bill, tabled in Parliament on 28 June, sought House approval to pass necessary provisions to award the sole right to lands of the State held by citizens and matters pertaining to affiliated matters.

According to the Government, the Bill affects the entire country as a remedy for people who have only been residing in lands with a permit and unable to submit it as collateral in obtaining a bank loan. The Bill also aims at allowing the people living on permit lands since the 1920s to obtain the absolute right to their lands and also to pass them to their children.

Changes to Sri Lanka’s land laws introduced through the State Land (Special Provisions) Bill is one of the key programs conducted by the grant of $480 million given through the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC). (AH)