Govt. starts land ownership program

• Squatters given land deeds by President 
• 100,000 new ownership deeds to be issued by year-end  

Families who had been in possession of Government land without clear ownership started receiving grants under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement on Monday.

The Government’s objective is to ensure that every family owns a land with undisputed ownership as envisioned in the National Policy Framework “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour.” Under the provisions of the Land Development Ordinance and the State Land Ordinance, grants will be awarded to 20,000 persons based on legal criteria covering the entire island during the first phase of the program.

The program prioritises low-income families whose livelihood is cultivation. The government intends to empower and encourage them by providing with ownership rights to their land, in order to increase their level of income.

The recipients of these lands can use it to build a house, for agricultural purposes, for other crops, or business activities. With the contribution made by the recipients of these lands via effective and full utilisation of them, it is expected to strengthen the national economy.

The grant, awarded by the President, is considered a deed indicating undisputed ownership of the specific land. The beneficiaries of this grant can obtain a bank loan placing them as collateral. The President stated that he expects to issue 100,000 ownership grants before the end of this year.

President Rajapaksa presented grants to 19 persons representing all provinces, to symbolise the launch of the program.

The program is jointly carried out by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Mahaweli.

Minister S.M. Chandrasena, State Ministers Siripala Gamalath and Anuradha Jayaratne, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Principal Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Secretaries and officials of line ministries were also present at the occasion.