The Nepalese government has initiated the relocation of landless squatters displaced from riverbank settlements in the Kathmandu Valley to their permanent home districts, citing a shortage of available land within the capital for resettlement. This action follows the ongoing clearance of settlements along the Bagmati river corridor, which has affected hundreds of families who have resided in Kathmandu for years.
The relocation effort is based on directives from the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation and utilizes digital land ownership records compiled by the High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilisation. To identify eligible beneficiaries, the Department of Land Management and Archive has cross-checked applicants through the Land Records Information Management System (LRIMS), verifying whether they hold land ownership anywhere in Nepal.
Those found without registered land anywhere in the country are eligible to receive housing plots and farmland in their home districts under current legal provisions. Conversely, individuals with registered properties elsewhere are disqualified from receiving land as they do not meet the legal definition of landless squatters. According to Balbhandra Banstola, chairperson of the National Land Commission, official communications have been sent to local authorities to facilitate land allocation for at least 28 verified families so far, with the verification process ongoing and expected to conclude soon.
The first list of beneficiaries, published in mid-July, includes individuals from various districts such as Makawanpur, Taplejung, Morang, and Dhankuta, among others. Each approved household may receive up to 3,000 square meters of farmland, with housing allocations governed by the Land Rules 2021 (19th Amendment). These rules entitle verified landless Dalits and squatters to residential land free of cost—up to 130 square meters within urban centers in Kathmandu Valley and up to several thousand square meters in rural areas depending on location.
However, many relocated individuals have expressed concerns about the prospect of resettlement far from Kathmandu, where they have lived and built their lives for decades. Kumar Ghalan, a beneficiary from Makawanpur, highlighted the difficulty of restarting life in a rural district, particularly with his children enrolled in Kathmandu schools. Similarly, Pabita Thapa Magar, currently staying at an eviction holding center in Bhaktapur, reported uncertainty about how she and others will survive if relocated to districts they have never visited, citing limited job opportunities outside the valley.
Local governments in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur have reportedly confirmed they have no land available for distribution, prompting the government to propose an integrated housing model as an alternative for those who cannot be accommodated within the valley.
Authorities have sought to expedite the process by streamlining administrative procedures and urging district officials to prioritize issuance of land ownership certificates. Banstola stated that, with cooperation from beneficiaries, land certificates could be issued within two to three months after files are forwarded to district committees.
The government’s approach aims to balance legal land tenure verification with the practical challenges faced by displaced families, seeking to provide formal land rights while managing the limited availability of land in the capital region.