• Claims farmers’ ignorance will result in loss of land following deed mortgaging due to poverty 

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) denounced the Government granting land deeds to farmers, claiming that it would cause a severe social crisis in the decades to come.

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday (6), PHU Leader and Opposition Parliamentarian, attorney Udaya Gammanpila claimed that such “shortsighted” decisions would result in the loss of land of the farmers. He also noted that former land ministers including former Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, C.P. de Silva, Gamini Dissanayake, and D.M. Jayaratne, refrained from granting land deeds to people looking for political benefits since they understood the consequences of such a move. He stated that poverty, helplessness, and ignorance among the farmers would lead them to mortgage these lands, which could result in them losing their lands. 

“We know that farmers profit only twice per year in two seasons. They manage the entire year on loans taken by certain banks of individuals on the promise of settling them after harvesting. If they don’t profit from the harvest, they could settle the debt next time. But, since they now have land deeds, they would mortgage the deed of the particular land and borrow money. Once they cannot pay the loan back, they would lose both the money and the land. Earlier, they had a place to stay, whatever happened. But now, their ignorance and helplessness would result in the loss of their lands as well,” he opined. 

Moreover, he highlighted that this would cause social crises such as the abandonment of villages, poverty, high urbanisation, the increase in organised crime activities, and unemployment in the future, noting therefore, that such crucial decisions must be taken in a manner which does not harm the social fabric.

As part of the 2024 Budget proposals, President Ranil Wickremesinghe granted full ownership of Government lands to 10,000 farmers on Monday (5) which were disposed of under the Land Development Ordinance, No. 19 of 1935 through permits and conditional grants. The ‘Urumaya’ programme, aimed at granting freehold rights to land, was rolled out nationwide under the President’s guidance, with the aim of benefiting an estimated two million farming families. The 2024 Budget proposal allocates Rs. 02 billion for the ‘Urumaya’ programme’s implementation.