Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Thursday the government has taken steps to implement scientific land management and digitise the land records system for attracting investment to the agricultural and industrial sectors.
He said the core targets of the government are to carry the land-related services to the doorsteps of the common people and make the whole process business-friendly.
"There is no alternative to a proper land management system for attracting investment in agriculture and industry sectors. I must admit that we are trailing behind in this sector. I have always maintained that we want to ensure food security together with rapid industrialisation. To fulfil this goal, our main task would be to implement a scientific land management system and digitise the land records of our country," he said in the parliament.
"In the case of land management, our core targets would be to carry the land-related services to the doorsteps of the common people and make the whole process business-friendly," he mentioned in his budget speech.
He said the government wants to introduce Authoritative Land Records (ALR) and actively considering the use of PPP (public-private partnership) for rapid implementation of this initiative.
"We want to introduce Authoritative Land Records (ALR). Steps have already been taken to provide Authoritative Land Records in 3 upazilas by establishing networks in the Assistant Commissioner (Land) offices, Settlement Offices and Sub-registrars' offices," he said.
He said the government will extend this programme countrywide gradually.
"Gradually, we will extend this programme countrywide. We are actively considering the use of PPP for rapid implementation of this initiative," the finance minister said.
Relating to land survey and record he said the government has taken initiative to digitalise land settlement, record keeping and a land zoning process is underway in another 40 districts.
"We took the initiative in our last term to digitalise land settlement and record keeping. A land zoning process is underway in another 40 districts. Besides, the process of digital surveys and record updating has begun in 5 mouzas of Savar upazila in Dhaka district and 48 mouzas of Palash upazila in Narsingdi district," he said.
He said the implementation of Digital Land Management System (DLMS) in 45 upazilas of 7 districts and operationalisation of 20 land information service centres in 20 upazilas are underway. Computerisation of existing records of right in 55 districts will be completed by the next fiscal year.
The proposed budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2014-15 has allocated Tk 8.31 billion for the ministry of land which was Tk 7.50 billion for the outgoing fiscal.
