Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-11-14

Amendment to the Land Development Ordinance

- The Land Development Ordinance No.19 of 1935 had set the legal background for the distribution of crown lands for the farmer community for residential and agricultural purposes and for the people of the middle class for the large scale agricultural purposes. Subsequently, considering the socio-economic changes that had taken place, the Ordinance has been amended from time to time. A proposal has been made to introduce further amendments to this Ordinance considering matters based on the representations made by the Members of Parliament, the general public and various organizations to meet the present day socio-economie requirements.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Gayantha Karunathilaka, the Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation for the introduction of a new Grant with lenient conditions, providing the opportunity to use the lands given under Grant for residential purposes for other objectives, in an instance when the holder of the grant dies without a nominated successor to make provision for the inheritance of the grant property to be devolved under the Civil Law, was approved by the Cabinet.