The decision Minister for Land Reform, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Aryal took about land fragmentation has been revoked.
The decision taken by Minister Aryal on September 3 to allow fragmentation of arable land has been revoked just seven days later as it was widely condemned even inside ruling CPN. "Earlier decisions about fragmentation of arable land taken at the minister level of the Nepal Government on 2020-9-3 until regulation about land use policy is issued have been revoked," the decision signed by Joint-secretary at the ministry Dip Kumar Pahari states.
The previous instruction issued by Minister Aryal on January 11, 2019 allowing fragmentation of nonarable land has also been revoked.
"The previous decisions have not been revoked. We have just said it will be in accordance to the local government operation act and land related act as the acts are already in implementation. It's not appropriate to say revoked. We want to say that works will be done in accordance to the acts irrespective of the earlier minister level decisions," Ministry Spokesperson Janak Raj Joshi tried to save the minister's blushes.
He argued that another decision with additional explanation had to be issued as there was confusion after the decision on September 3 did not clearly mention the laws and acts. "This is a decision brought by the ministry."
Fragmentation of any kind of land can now be done only in accordance to the act and regulation about land and that too with recommendation of the local government. The regulation is under consideration in the Cabinet and there will be no classification of land until that is issued.
