FAQ

Make a written request for the Divisional Secretary of the division where he/she lives. A format will be given to register the people those who don’t have lands and they have a chance to obtain a land when conducting Land Kachcheries.

At present regulation of encroached land is canceled. If you don’t have a land of your own you have a chance to legally obtain a land or part of land by registering for the Land Kachcheri program.

No. Ownership of a state land is given by a totally different procedure than the private lands. If the owner of the land license or grant given under land development act is died the spouse possesses only the life interest of the land. In the case of spouse is named as the successor he/ she will be given full ownership. After the spouse’s death next successor will be given the ownership. If the successor in not named ownership will be given to the elder son of the family under schedule III of the Act.

Visit land branch of divisional secretariat and ask for information. Then you will be given 3 forms (L.C. 155). Forward the duly. Completed 3 forms with 3 stamps each valid for Rs. 25/- to the Land Registrar’s office of the relevant district.

Loan could be obtained from institutions which were registered under Financial Act No. 78 of 1983 and Bank Act No. 30 of 1988 by the Governor of the central bank. You should obtain permission by forwarding following documents to the divisional secretary.

• Letter obtain from relevant bank
• Requesting letter
• Copies of grant (deed)
• Title reports

Grant could be transferred only to a relative (According to the schedule III) although there is a possibility to transfer to a person who belongs to class of farmers without causing a loss to the owner of the grant or his family members.

• Ownership of land with grant,could be given only to your husband/wife, children or blood relations. 
• If you like, you can subdivide the land, subject to limitation in the grant and give to your children. 
• If necessary, ownership could be given to your wife or husband. 
• Or else,you can give the ownership to your blood relation. 

• It is your right to decide, who should be successor to your land. 
• You can nominate anyone, either your wife/husband, children or blood relation on your successor. 
• If you die without taking this decision, ownership would be given as stipulated in the law. 
• When you have sons and daughters, sons are entitled for ownership, first. 
• When there are several sons, the eldest son will get the ownership. 
• When there are only daughter, the eldest is entitled to ownership. 
• On such occasions, even if the younger children are in possession of the land ownership cannot be given according to the Law. 
• Therefore, where you nominate for ownership would it not be justifiable for your children? 
• Therefore, Do not forget to take action, today itself to give succession ownership to your children. 

• It is simple 
• No fees are levied for this service. 
• Please obtain form LC 155 from the Divisional secretariat and complete it and hand over back in triplicate. 
• Then forms could be certified by Notary public, Justice of peace, Registrar of Land. 
• This work could be done at the Divisional secretariat easily and free of charge. 
• This document will be registered at the Land Registry and one copy will be given to you. 
• Protect this copy with you carefully. 

Yes

When you nominate persons you want and Register 3 forms, previous nomination would be cancelled.

Contact under mentioned officers for further details.

• Grama Niladhaari of your division.
• Colonization officer
• Divisional Secretary.

• Peoples Bank 
• State Mortgage and Investment Bank  
• Bank of Ceylon 
• Development Finance Corporation of Sri Lanka  
• National Housing Development Authority 
• Commissioner of National Housing 
• Sri Lanka Housing Development Financial Corporation Limited 
• Societies and Companies registered under the Co – Operative Societies Ordinance 
• Institution registered under the finance Act no 11 of 1963 
• Institution registered under the Finance Companies Act no 27 of 1979 
• Institution registered under the Finance Act (Amendment) 78 of 1988 
• Any other institutions approved by the Land Commissioner General
  

If the loan or mortgage not redeemed, land will be confiscated by the relevant lending institution. The relevant institution could sell the land and recover the loan amount. On that occasion, any person irrespective of class, profession or income could purchase the land. Since the purchased land is bound by condition, it is necessary that the purchaser should act, according to those condition. Prior approval letter should be obtained from the Divisional secretary\Deputy Land Commissioner (inter provincial) if the purchasers transfers the land again.

Could the grant be pledged as surety for loan obtained by children?
Yes, you will be the pledger for the said loan.

• You should submit your application to the Divisional Secretary. He will obtain reports from the Grama Niladhaari\ Colonization Officer. 
• The original grant and the relevant folio sheet obtained from the Land Registry concerned, should be submitted. 
• A letter from the institution from where it is expected to obtain the loan or to mortgage, together with a draught of the agreement prepared by the said lending institution, should hand over to the Divisional Secretary.
• The Divisional secretary will issue the approval letter, together with the approved draught of loan agreement.
• This letter and the approved loan agreement should be submitted to the relevant lending institution.

• SwarnaBhoomi
• Jayabhoomi
• Ranbima

The grant is a legal document, which ensures total ownership of the land you have developed up to now under the Land DevelopmentOrdinance Permit.

• You should have obtained land on permit under Land Development Ordinance. 
• The land should be well developed If land given for residence, house should be constructed and should live there.
• All payments due to the state should have been paid and completed.

• If you have fulfilled above eligibilities, please hand over your application to the Grama Niladhaari
• The Grama Niladhaari would inspect the land and submit report to the Divisional secretary
• The Land Officer\Colonization officer also would inspect the land and submit report to Divisional secretary certifying that you have developed the land
• The Divisional Secretarywould get the land surveyed by the Department of Survey and put, Lay boundary stones and obtain plan.
• After obtaining the plan, the Divisional secretary will prepare the grant and will send to the land Commissioner General through the provincial Land Commissioner.
• The Land Commissioner General will examine the grant and if it is in order will send to the secretary to the president for His Excellency the president’s signature
• After receiving the duly signs grants, it will be sent it either the Divisional Secretary.
• The Divisional Secretary will inform you to pay Rs.100/= as service charges for the grant
• You should take action to pay that amount without delay
• After that, the Divisional secretary will register the grant at the land registry and will give you the grant.

• Permit is a temporary document
• Permit is subject to conditions
• If conditions are violated, permit caned be cancelled
• Survey plan is not attached to permit
• The Permit is signed by the Divisional secretary or the Deputy Land Commissioner
• The grant is signed by His Excellency, the president
• Therefore, there is full ownership of the land
• Mostly grants are with survey plans. Therefore extent of the land is definite.

• You can mortgage your clear grant with the bank, when you need money to develop your land or repair your house
• You can place it as surety, for your children’s loans
• You can keep your grant as surety in courts

• Approved cabinet project.
• A project approved by the board of investment
• A project approved by the Ministry of industries.
• A project with a special patronage of any state affiliated institution.

• Request.
• Project Report.
• Project Approved by Board of Investment/Ministry of Industry/the other institution.
• Registration of company
• If a joint venture, the details of the directory (the details under the form 48 of the company registration Act)
• Affidavits as per format issued by the Divisional Secretary, which affirms that the properties belong to them are within the limit of 50 acres.

• Term of lease is thirty years (30)
• This will be extended up to 50 years under the special approved of the cabinet.
• Rental must be annually paid.
• The amount of lease will be quinquennial revised by 50%.
• The Land cannot be used for any purpose for which the land was obtained.
• The land must be maintained in proper state of development.
• No sub – leasing mortgage and vesting can be done without due permission.
• Special conditions which could be stipulated by the other institutions.
• Actions could be taken in order to cancel the lease indenture on the occasion of violating the conditions.