Kathmandu — The House of Representatives on Friday passed the Land Bill 2082, which amends several existing laws related to land. Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced the bill’s approval after it was endorsed by a majority vote.

Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, had presented the proposal for decision. He explained that the bill was introduced to provide land to landless Dalits, squatters, and unmanaged settlers, aiming to regulate settlement patterns across the country. According to him, families living in risky areas will be relocated to integrated settlements through coordination with local governments.

However, some lawmakers criticized the bill. Rajkishor Yadav of the JASAPA argued that the intended groups may not benefit as expected, while lawmaker Prakash Adhikari claimed that the bill lacked constitutional analysis and could favor land mafias. Maoist chief whip Hitraj Pandey said some provisions were impractical and would not serve the general public’s interest. Similarly, Maoist whip Rupa Sosi Chaudhary, though supporting the provision of land to Dalits and squatters, accused the bill of including arrangements that would benefit real estate businesses.