Suspend transaction of royal family lands

Parliament's Natural Resources Committee on Sunday asked the government to suspend transaction of land owned by royal family members until all necessary arrangements for taxing those is complete.

The committee chair Prakash Jwala asked Minister for Land Reforms and Management Prabhu Narayan Chaudhary to take initiatives in this regard.

Jwala said the measure was required as Minister Chaudhary's public remarks about imposing land ceiling has resulted in fake transaction of land to escape the new provision.

Minister Chaudhary said it was difficult to take such a measure through ministerial decision but he would take up the issue in the next cabinet meeting.

The committee also asked the government to furnish details on the land occupied by companies, industries and farms in which royal family members are shareholders.

The committee took the decision after its members were not satisfied with details on 39,378 ropanis of land - in the name of royal family members - provided by Land Reforms and Management Ministry officials during the Committee meeting.

Committee members said they wanted details on shares and other types of royal members' ownership of companies or factories and the land occupied by such companies, farms or factories for taxation purpose, following the House of Representatives decision to tax their income and property.

Ministry officials said they received details of royal family members' land from 12 districts but they are yet to get detailed information on how much land is under guthi (trust) and birta in the royal family's possession. The committee asked the ministry to take initiatives to register birta and guthi lands in the name of respective farmers.

"There are some policy confusions, as the system of birta lands was abolished in 1959 but the lands of royal family members were kept intact," said Khadga Gurung, a senior official at the ministry.

According to records provided by the ministry, the king owns 36,106 ropanis of land in 12 districts while the queen possesses 192 ropanis in Kathmandu Valley. Slain King Birendra owns only Gokarna forest and all his lands have been transferred to King Gyanendra on different dates in the past two years.

Committee members also said the they are planning to summon the Royal Palace's Chief Secretary and Secretary who looks after Palace affairs in the Royal Palace, to give details on other properties of royal family members.