Speaker commits to coordinating solutions for land and housing sector issues, ninth expo begins

Kathmandu. With the main slogan 'Safe housing, the right of every citizen', the 'Ninth Nepal Land, Housing and Construction Expo–2083' began on Thursday at the exhibition hall in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu.

The expo is organized by the Nepal Land and Housing Development Association and the Nepal Land and Housing Development Federation on the occasion of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, and co-organized by the Nepal Chamber of Commerce. The four-day expo was inaugurated by Speaker of the House of Representatives Dol Prasad Aryal by lighting a lamp.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Speaker Aryal said the government is working to resolve problems including the land ceiling issue in the development of the land and housing sector. He also expressed his commitment that, in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he would coordinate as necessary to resolve the problems.

He stressed the need to address the problems of small entrepreneurs and citizens in remote areas as well as large entrepreneurs. He said all sides must work to create an environment for Nepalis abroad to invest in the country and to create opportunities for the younger generation within Nepal.

At the event, President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal said the private sector has been contributing to the economy even in difficult situations such as earthquakes and COVID. He noted that since the real estate business is the backbone of the economy, other businesses cannot thrive unless this sector is active.

Agrawal expressed the view that if the private sector is given the responsibility of operating the exhibition venue at Bhrikutimandap, it could be run excellently year-round. He also demanded that the government make legal arrangements allowing the sale of apartments to foreign nationals, especially non-resident Nepalis.

President of the Nepal Land and Housing Development Association and chair of the program Er. Deepak Kunwar said that if the government trusts the private sector and improves the necessary acts and regulations, much can be achieved. He stressed the need to find a long-term solution to land plotting, saying that if the current land ceiling problem is not resolved, the real estate business may be forced to shut down.

He said real estate entrepreneurs are ready to cooperate with the government in the resettlement of citizens displaced by the recent floods and the reconstruction of damaged structures. Kunwar also expressed the view that, considering the recurring landslide problem at Krishnabhir, a tunnel could be constructed from Thankot to Shakti Khor with private sector cooperation.

Federation President Bishnu Prasad Ghimire put forward policy demands: exempting registered real estate companies from the land ceiling, raising the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio to 80 percent, recognizing self-declared sources of income for the purchase of land and housing up to 30 million rupees, and granting the land and housing sector recognition similar to productive industries.

Coordinator of the Expo Organizing and Preparation Committee Roshan Bhoydyo informed that there are more than 100 stalls at the exhibition. According to him, during the expo, high-level technical seminars and panel discussions will be held on topics including Vastu Shastra, disaster-resilient infrastructure, resettlement of flood victims, and integrated housing development through public-private partnership (PPP).

The expo will run at Bhrikutimandap from Ashwin 1 to Ashwin 4. The organizers said the exhibition will be open from 10 AM to 6 PM.