LAND REGISTRATION AND ADMINISTRATION

BEG……

Year: II Semester: IV

Lectures: 45 Hours
Exercise: 15 Hours
Year: II
Semester: IV
Credit hrs.: 3
Full Marks: 100

Course Objectives

a) To provide general and theoretical knowledge in Land Administration and Land Registration. b) To provide knowledge on land policy and land management. c) To provide general and theoretical knowledge on the present status of land administration in Nepal.

Course Details

1. Introduction to Land Administration (LA) (5 hrs.)

• Definition
• Components of LA
• Terms used in LA
• Function of LA
• Importance of LA
• Types of Land Administration System (Traditional and e-LAS)
• Characteristics/Features of LAS
• Organizational arrangement in Nepal
• Historical development of land administration in Nepal

2. Basics of Land Tenure and Rights (5 hrs.)

• Basic concepts
• Nature of Property and rights in Land
  • Use rights
  • Access right
• RRR in ownership in the land
• Tenure definition
• Property in the context of land tenure
• Historical land tenure and practices
• Present land tenure system of Nepal
• Property regimes, rights, forms of tenure system
• Tenure security and its importance
• Categories of interest
• Different types of right on property:
  • Freehold
  • Use right
  • Lease
  • Access right

3. Land Registration System (10 hrs.)

• Land and real property description
• Land Registration and principles
• Concepts of first registration
• Types of Land registration systems:
  • Private conveyancing
  • Deed
  • Title
• Private conveyancing: Introduction and process
• Deed registration: Introduction, principles, characteristics, and process
  • Improved deed registration
• Title Registration: Introduction, types of title registration, process, and principles
• Characteristics of various registration systems (Private conveyancing, deed, and title)
• Registration of various types of land (Raikar, Guthi, Birta, Swabasi, Benissa, Bahalbitauri, chuut jagga, Gaun block)
• Whole parcel transaction
• Land and property right transfer process (Rajinama, Ansabanda, Bakaspatra)
• Parcel subdivision and subdivision process
• Land fragmentation and multiple ownership

4. Land Policy (3 hrs.)

• Introduction to land policy
• Land policy principles
• Contents in land policy
• Land-related policies in Nepal

5. Basics of Land Management and Reform (10 hrs.)

• Concepts, principles, components
• Land management principles
• Land Use:
  • Concept of sustainability
  • Urban land use
  • Agricultural use
  • Environmental management
  • Land use policy
  • Land use planning
  • Zoning
  • Land use in Nepal
• Land Consolidation, Land Development, Land Adjustment
• Land Acquisition: act and process
• Concepts, types, forms
• Enhancing access of socio-economically deprived people (landless, freed kamaiyas, and other communities) to land
• Pro-poor land management
• Land reform practice in Nepal

6. Land Conflicts, Disputes, and Resolutions (4 hrs.)

• Boundary dispute
• Land disputes
• Ownership dispute
• Different case studies
• Mediation
• Arbitration and their role in land dispute and conflict resolution
• Land court and its role in dispute and conflict resolution
• Prevailing acts and rules relating to Nepal's Land System and conflict resolution

7. Land Governance (4 hrs.)

• Concepts of land governance
• Access to land information
• Efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery
• Transparency issues
• Corruption
• Public-private partnership in land governance
• Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF)
• Conflict on land, conflict resolution, public land management (Technical, administrative, and policy aspects)

8. International Trends (4 hrs.)

• Determination of user needs
• Restructuring of administrative and organizational structure
• Legislative reforms
• Surveying land and property boundaries
• Land information management
• Central vs. decentralized system
• Developing awareness in the user community
• Land administration and local governance
• Important world summits and conferences on land registration and management and their declarations
• International organizations involved in Cadastre/LA
• Examples of developed/modern cadastral and LA systems around the world

Recommended Reading and Reference Books

1. Cadastral Survey Manual 2060, Dept. of Survey
2. Directory of Management of Land Pooling Project, Surya Bhakta Sangachhe
3. Land Law and Registration, S.R. Simpson
4. Land Ownership in Nepal, M. C. Regmi
5. Land Reform Manuals, 2058, Dept. of Land Reform and Management
6. Land Registration in Nepal, B L Shrestha, Kathmandu
7. Land Registration System and Practices in Nepal, 2048, K P Sharma, Nepal
8. Land Tenure and Taxation in Nepal, M. C. Regmi
9. Lecture Notes
10. River and Lake Boundaries, Surveying Water Boundary: a Manual, J A Simpson, Plat Key Publishers Co.
11. Survey Manual, US Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Land Management

Final Examination Scheme

Model Questions:

Very Short Questions: [4*2=8]

1. Which organization in Nepal is responsible for Land Administration?
2. When was formal deed registration started in Nepal?
3. What is the deed registration system?
4. What is redistribution in land reform?

Short Questions: [8*4=32]

1. Define land administration. Describe the components of land administration.
2. What do you understand by land tenure? Describe the importance of land tenure security.
3. What are the principles of the Title Registration system?
4. Describe briefly the land policies of Nepal.
5. What is land management? What are the principles of land management?
6. What do you mean by land governance? Describe the importance of land governance.
7. What is land conflict resolution? What are the methods of land conflict resolution?
8. What are the international organizations involved in land cadastre and land administration?

Long Questions: [2*10=20]

1. Describe the land transaction process in Nepal during parcel subdivision.
2. Define and describe land reform in detail.