Officials at the regional level have to play a key role with regard to the management of lands suitable to implement the government’s programme on generating new livelihood avenues, Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication Chairman Basil Rajapaksa said.
He stated this addressing the Land Officers during an awareness programme held at the Temple Trees on Tuesday. Rajapaksa instructed officers to expedite the process of identification and management of ideal lands to carry out the government’s new development drive including the proposals in the Budget 2021.
He also appreciated the service rendered by the Land Commissioner General’s Department, which is one of the oldest departments in Sri Lanka.The Land Officers were instructed by Rajapaksa to provide the details of available lands in their respective areas and requested them to extend their co-operation for the “Gama Samaga Pilisandara” (Dialogue with the Village) national programme.
Under the programme on generating new livelihood methods it has been proposed to provide 25, 000 acres for the production of animal foods, 75,000 acres for the promotion of local agro products and another 25, 000 acres for the use of business communities.
In addition to that, the other programs to be implemented this year include providing lands for the industries, opening up of the investment opportunities in the state-owned lands to empower the young entrepreneurs, issuing legal documents for the already identified users of the state-owned lands and establishment of an efficient mechanism to solve the issues pertaining to the state-owned lands given to the public.
The budget 2021 has allocated Rs.500 million for 20,000 Deeds under the Bim Saviya initiative, Rs. 45 million for wills for 50,000 lower income family members, Rs.100 million for the update of the land data system, Rs.2,593 million as compensation for the land acquisition, Rs. 600 million for survey equipment and Rs. seven million for the mobile services.