By The Pulseline News Desk
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a new framework to allocate land for families displaced by Cyclone Ditwah, paving the way for the resettlement of households whose homes were destroyed and those living in areas identified as vulnerable to landslides.
According to Cabinet decisions issued following Monday’s meeting, the government has acknowledged that state-owned land alone is insufficient to accommodate all affected families. As a result, it has approved a series of measures to secure additional land and expedite the resettlement process.
The proposal, submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, allows the government to identify land previously issued under state land permits for resettlement purposes. Where such land is acquired, permit holders will be compensated for any developments made on the property through the relevant Divisional Secretary, after which the land may be legally reallocated to another eligible beneficiary within the same income category.
The Cabinet has also approved a mechanism to incorporate privately owned land voluntarily donated to the State for resettlement. Under the framework, donated land will first be transferred to the government through a deed of gift under the State Lands Ordinance. Donors will then provide a declaration waiving any compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, enabling the government to complete registration and proceed with allocating the land to displaced families.
For families who do not own suitable land and cannot be accommodated through either of these arrangements, the government will allocate plots of up to 10 perches from available state land or donated land. Ownership will subsequently be granted under the provisions of the State Lands Ordinance.
The move comes as the government continues efforts to provide permanent housing solutions for families affected by Cyclone Ditwah, one of the most destructive weather events to hit the country in recent years. In addition to widespread damage caused by strong winds and flooding, the disaster left many communities displaced and highlighted the growing vulnerability of settlements located in landslide-prone areas.
Officials say the new framework is intended to overcome the longstanding shortage of state land for resettlement projects and accelerate the relocation of affected families to safer locations, while ensuring that compensation and legal procedures are properly followed.
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