By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 7: Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe said on Saturday that the government would punish the officials of the Land-Related Issues Resolution Commission if there was any misconduct in the distribution of land to the landless people.
Directing the chairmen and members of the commission’s district level committees at an orientation programme in the Capital, she warned them not to make a difference of even an inch of land while distributing it.
“LIRC officials have got some pre-set rights so don’t go beyond that. If they go against the law, you will be punished,” she said. Stating that the middlemen would try to influence them, Minister Tumbahamphe asked the officials to remain afar from such people.
“Middlemen might reach people claiming to provide land certificate and ask money in advance. They will try to influence you with money. If you feel that this is the time to make some wealth, forget about it,” she said.
According to her, the officials of the commission were not all in all, and they had to exercise their responsibilities as per the rule.
The government, last week, had formed 3-member committees with chairmen, expert member and member in each district to support the commission. Of the 231 officials in the district-level committees, 25 per cent are female.
Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Tek Narayan Pandey said that the commission had the responsibility to responsibly address the recommendations made by the earlier commissions.
This commission’s success and failure is directly associated with the image of the government therefore, you should be cautious of the middlemen and brokers that may try to influence the process, he said.
Chairman of the commission Devi Prasad Gyawali said that the commission had the responsibility to distribute land certificate to more than 900,000 people.