Bim Saviya goes N-E

Top priority to settle land problems:

Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Land and Land Development Ministry has made arrangements to implement the Bim Saviya program in the Northern and Eastern provinces next year to enhance the ownership of lands by solving the problems and issues related to lands which were not settled over the past three decades due to terrorist activities.

The Government has given its priority to settle the land problems encountered by the people in the North and East.

The Ministry through the Bim Saviya program intends to ensure the ownership of lands and settle the problems pertaining to lands by helping to realise one of the long felt needs of the people in the North and East, Land and Land Development Minister Jeewan Kumaranatunga told the Daily News. Before implementing Bim Saviya in the North and East, the Ministry has to complete all surveying activities which were completely suspended due to terrorist activities. The Ministry has taken steps to overcome the shortage of surveyors to conduct the surveying activities.

The Ministry has taken a decision to absorb all graduates who have completed their surveying and mapping degrees at the Sabaragamuwa University into the Survey Department. In addition, the Ministry will also seek the assistance of those who have followed their diploma courses at the Institute of Surveying and Mapping , Diyathalawa to conduct the surveying activities of theBim Saviya program.

Filling of the vacancies of surveyors would facilitate to implement the Bim Saviya program throughout the country in a more efficient manner, he said. However, the Ministry has commenced the surveying activities of the State lands in the Northern and Eastern provinces to enable the Government to conduct its development work in these two provinces.

Minister Kumaranatunga said the Bim Saviya program has been implemented in 18 Divisional Secretariat divisions including Colombo, Moratuwa and Homagama. The Ministry will commence this program in Ratmalana and Dehiwala DS divisions shortly. As a pilot project, the Ministry intends to complete all surveying activities in Colombo district by the end of this year. Rs.500 million has been allocated to conduct the Bim Saviya program this year.

The Ministry has been able to settle over 70 per cent of problems and disputes pertaining to lands under the Bim Saviya program. Bim Saviya also monitors and coordinates the program introduced to Sri Lanka in title registration instead of the existing deed registration system. The Bim Saviya program which commenced last year will be completed within 10 years.

The objective of Bim Saviya is to convert the land registration system in Sri Lanka into a trustworthy, efficient and simple procedure.

The Bim Saviya program was launched by the Ministry under the provisions of the Title Registration Act No.21 of 1998 to register public as well as private lands of the country. Survey Department, Land Settlement Department, Land Commissioner General’s Department and Register General’s Department have assisted the Ministry to implement this program while other public institutions have also given their support towards this program.

The Ministry has also commenced a program to issue title certificates for the lands from last year. These activities commenced in Ampara, Hasalaka, Nikaweratiya and Rajanganaya divisions last year,” the Minister said.