Amendment bill to Maldivian Land Act sent for committee review

The amendment bill to the Maldivian Land Act has been sent for committee review.

The amendment bill was sent to the Parliament's Decentralization Committee for review, after 42 members of the parliament voted accept it.

Sponsored by Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer, the amendment bill states that the land owned by councils can be leased in accordance to the regulations of the Land Use Plan of the island or city, otherwise used for housing, community development or environmental protection purposes. Unlike the other bills, the current bill proposes for the land to be allowed to be sold to a second party under the jurisdiction of councils.

The bill’s law states that home ministry, planning ministry and environment ministry must look over the registry of land. As well as this, the amendment stated that the information on the land must be included in the lands registry by the council.

Among the amendments brought to the bill, the lands can also be leased by the councils, for purposes other than living and housing. This can be done in accordance to the island or city’s Land Use Plan’s regulations only.

The amendments also say that these councils are allowed to give and take loans with regard to the lands.