KATHMANDU: Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation Minister Balram Adhikari has said that land allocated to Giri Bandhu Tea Estate will automatically revert to government ownership if used for purposes other than tea cultivation.
Speaking at a meeting of the Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Minister Adhikari clarified that the land provided to the tea estate is specifically for tea plantation use.
The meeting was held to discuss the Bill to Amend Some Nepal Laws Related to Land, 2025 with lawmakers who have proposed amendments.
“If Giri Bandhu Tea Estate uses the land for any purpose other than what it was allocated for, the land, excluding what falls under the legal holding limit, will become government property,” Minister Adhikari said.
He also noted that under current regulations, individuals in the Tarai region are allowed to hold up to 10 bighas of land. He emphasized that the responsibility of identifying and classifying landless individuals has been delegated to local governments, and land will be distributed accordingly.
Land distribution, he said, will proceed only in municipalities that have completed the classification of landless Dalits and squatters.
During the meeting, lawmakers who proposed amendments to the bill urged the government to ensure that the revised legislation benefits genuine citizens rather than land brokers and middlemen.
So far, 99 amendment proposals have been registered for the bill, which seeks to revise several Nepal laws related to land management.
Comment