A parliamentary sub-committee probing the land and properties of the King and the royal family has directed the government to nationalize the property of King Gyanendra in excess of the ceiling fixed by the law.
The Sub-Committee formed by parliamentary Natural Resources Committee (NRC) headed by lawmaker Subash Karmacharya to trace the properties of the royal family on the first week of August has also asked the government to nationalise and set up a trust to take care of the land late King Birendra and his family members owned.
The Act Regarding Land, 1977, states that a person can own 25 ropanis in Kathmandu, 10 bighas in Terai and 70 ropanis in hilly districts. Moreover, one can own five ropanis in Kathmandu valley, one bigha in Terai and five ropanis in hilly districts for housing purpose.
Reports quoted NRC chairman Prakash Jwala as saying that the NRC will finalise the report and submit it to the House soon.
The committee also recommended that the government scrap the name of the royal family members as tenants from the Guthi land held by the royalty.
The report said King Gyanendra and his kin have been occupying 50,926 ropanis of land in 14 districts. It said last year King Gyanendra had transferred in his name the properties of the late King Birendra raising his (King Gyanendra’s). “Even now, 2791 ropanis are still in the name of the late royalties,” the report added.
The committee gathered details of the properties from 14 districts. “The Ministry of Royal Palace Affairs, the Ministry of land reform and Management, the Ministry of Industries and the authorities under them did not help the committee,” the report says, adding, “Because of this, the committee could not get full details.”
Similarly, the report adds that there are 11 companies owned by the King and the royal family members and there are 14 companies affiliated to them.
It has also charged that the royal family members have encroached public lands.
The parliamentary sub-committee has also suggested that some forest areas owned by the royal family should be converted into national parks and reserves and rest should be handed over to the local communities in the form of community forests.