Kathmandu. The government has taken the mortgage and release of land to a completely online system to end the influence of middlemen and dillydallying in the land revenue offices.

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation has introduced a new system to make public service delivery more effective while implementing results-based governance arrangements under the agenda of governance reforms. Issuing a circular on Thursday, the Department of Land Management and Records has directed banks and financial institutions to make the mortgage work online compulsorily.

It has been claimed that after the full implementation of this provision, the service recipients themselves have to pay the land revenue and pay additional amount to the middlemen to freeze and release the land after taking or repaying the loan. Under this, the services related to the release of mortgage provided by the Land Revenue Office will now be operated only through online system.

This provision has been implemented with the goal of providing fast, easy and middle-free service to the citizens in a predictable time and to make the service process faceless, time-bound and completely digital.

According to Clause 392 (4) of the Land Administration Directive, 2081 BS, it has been decided to convert the work related to the release of securities freezing from banks and financial institutions into a digital system in a phased manner.

The banks and financial institutions of class A, B, C, and D will be able to provide the services only through the online system from May 1, 2083 and other A, B, C, and D class banks and financial institutions will be available from May 1, 2083.

This provision should be made mandatory from May 15 in case of other banks and financial institutions that have not taken permission or agreement to operate the online system. The Department has also urged these organizations to obtain the license before May 1 and make necessary preparations.

The government believes that this provision will ensure transparency, accountability and timeliness in service delivery. It is also expected to make significant achievements in promoting digital good governance by freeing the customers from unnecessary hassles and intermediaries. This work is expected to reduce the existing service pressure at the land revenue offices by 60 percent.