MP Khanal Accuses State of Spending Billions Over Seven Decades on Land Certificate Issue

Rastriya Swatantra Samajwadi Party (RSWP) MP KP Khanal accused the state of spending billions of rupees over the past seven decades nurturing political workers by fueling the dream of obtaining land ownership certificates (lalpurja). He emphasized that the state must differentiate between issuing land certificates to unplanned settlements on public land without proper measurement and the issue of living on public land without ownership rights.

On 25th Baisakh in Kathmandu, during the meeting of the Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resources Committee under the House of Representatives, MP Khanal declared that the ongoing political disputes around land certificates are no longer acceptable. He spoke during the progress review of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation.

Khanal identified himself as the son of a farmer, stating, “Some tried to create controversy by raising the issue of public land, but those spreading misinformation did not understand that I am the son of humble farmers whose family has cultivated the soil for generations without gaining ownership.” He added, “Millions of youths like me still live like ‘non-citizens’ in their own homes.”

He urged the government to grant land ownership certificates to unplanned residents who have lived on public land for generations without proper cadastral surveys. He called on the state to clearly distinguish between fragmentation of public land and those living on land without ownership rights.

Khanal criticized 22 commissions established by old political parties, asserting that their sole role was depleting state treasury funds without delivering results. He proposed forming a powerful committee that includes technical experts knowledgeable in soil and technology rather than party representatives alone. He also appealed for the relocation of squatters to safe locations with guaranteed housing rights.

He affirmed his commitment not merely to occupy a parliamentary seat but to work effectively, stating, “I declared during elections that I am not here for politics centered on land certificates, but to deliver tangible outcomes. Today, I stand to fulfill that promise. For me, the red certificate is bigger than the MP’s logo; it will make brothers across my constituency and the country the rightful owners of their land.”