Reprinted from People's Democracy, organ of the Cornmunist Party of India (Marxist)
KATMANDU, Nepal - Over 3,000 landless settlers living in Morang district, eastern Nepal, have received land ownership certificates, the Nepali national news agency reported. The distribution of land ownership certificates was made in accordance with a decision by the government to solve the long existing problem of the landless settlers.
The re-registration of the applicants is now under way as there are some 50,000 to 55,000 landless settlers in Morang district.
Distribution of land ownership certificates has also started in other districts in the country, and some 100,000 families of landless settlers would have received certificates from the Nepali Central land SettIers Problems Resolution Commission by the end of May.
This was disclosed- by Keshav Wadal, chairman of the high level Land Reform Commission set up on January 16 by the new Cornmunist government.
He said the distribution of certificates to these families would be finished before the forthcoming budget parliament session which convenes this month.
According to his estimation, there are about 300,000 landless settler families in the country's 75 districts, and it would take ro less than two years for the government to solve the long existing problem of landless settlers.
As to the land reform, Wadal said his commission is now continuously conducting investigations in districts, and work in 30 districts was already completed.
He said the land reform program was welcomed by most local leaders at both district and village levels.
The commission also plans to go abroad soon to learn from some other countries about their successful land reforms. After that, the commission would hand over a report on land reform to the government and prepare a draft bill on the program to he discussed and voted by the budget session of parliament.
In another rnajor breakthrough since the Communists came to power in the country last year, the number of local health~clinics throughout Nepal is now expected to reach 2,000 within the current fiscal year (July 1994 to July 1995), according to the department of hea1th services. This constitutes a major step towards universalization of health care services in the country.
The village developmert commttees are required to build necessary infrastructures for the local health clinics and the salary of the personnel, equipment and medicines will be provided by the government, the department said.
The department also asked health workers to visit the wards twice a month, and suggested that the district heal officer inspect the local health clinics regularly. Arrangements have been made to provide vaccinations, family planning services and suggestions on maternity matters.
According to the Nepali goverment's health project, there should be at least one assistant health worker, one village health worker and one maternity worker in each local health clinic.
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