Government Approves Seizure of Over 950,000 Acres of Unused Land
Government Approves Seizure of Over 950,000 Acres of Unused Land
Myanmar Times, 24 Jan 2019
URL: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/government-approves-seizure-over-950000-acres-unused-land.html
The government has approved the seizure of more than 950,000 acres of unused vacant, fallow and virgin land that had been leased to private entities for agriculture, breeding and mining, a senior agriculture official said on Wednesday.
U Myo Tint Tun, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, said when these lands were leased, it was stipulated that they should be put to use within four years.
“Some have been left without improvements for more than four years, while some have been left unused for about ten years. That’s why we’re seizing this land,” he said.
Some leases were revoked as the businessmen failed to make use of the land, while others were voluntarily returned by the lessees.
A Nay Pyi Taw livestock owner, however, said that most of the leased land was in remote places, and while the leases were cheap, businessmen had difficulties opening businesses there.
“The roads are not good and there is no water supply. We had to arrange these first, and then we got into trouble with the traditional owners when we started businesses there,” he said.
U Myo Tint Tun, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, said when these lands were leased, it was stipulated that they should be put to use within four years.
“Some have been left without improvements for more than four years, while some have been left unused for about ten years. That’s why we’re seizing this land,” he said.
Some leases were revoked as the businessmen failed to make use of the land, while others were voluntarily returned by the lessees.
A Nay Pyi Taw livestock owner, however, said that most of the leased land was in remote places, and while the leases were cheap, businessmen had difficulties opening businesses there.
“The roads are not good and there is no water supply. We had to arrange these first, and then we got into trouble with the traditional owners when we started businesses there,” he said.