• 16 m plots earmarked, 13.9 m yet to be surveyed
• Deputy Minister promises focus on remote areas

After 26 years, with 16 million plots earmarked for survey and over Rs. 10.5 billion of taxpayer funds already spent, Sri Lanka’s much-publicised ‘Bim Saviya’ land title registration programme has issued only 462,922 title certificates.

The amount stands at a mere 2% of its intended target, as revealed in the latest audit report on the Land Title Settlement Department.

The audit report revealed that between the commencement of the ‘Bim Saviya’ programme in 1998 and 31 December 2024, only 1,781,502 land plots had been gazetted with a notice to submit claims for ownership in line with Section 12 of the Registration of Title Act.

Out of this total, just 947,414 plots had been gazetted under Section 14 of the act, confirming absolute ownership of the claimant. However, of those, only 822,668 plots had been actually submitted to the Registrar General for registration and, as the final outcome, title certificates have been issued for just 462,922 plots.

This dismal figure represents only 2% of the total number of land plots targeted under the programme. In reality, while 16 million land plots across the island were meant to be surveyed, only 2.1 million have been surveyed over a period of 26 years, leaving an overwhelming backlog of 13.9 million land plots still awaiting survey and registration.

The financial aspect of the programme has come under heavy scrutiny as well. From 2007 to 31 December 2024, the Government had incurred a cost of Rs. 10,514 million on the ‘Bim Saviya’ programme. Based on the certificates issued, this translates to an average cost of Rs. 21,978 per title certificate – an amount critics say underscores the inefficiency of the programme.

However, the department’s Accounting Officer, in response to the audit, defended the expenditure by stating that prior to the enactment of the Registration of Title Act in 1998, land ownership was registered by preparing deeds under the traditional system of recording them as documents.

With the implementation of the new act, the country embarked on a gradual transition to a more secure and higher-value title registration system. He further noted that while Rs. 22,000 per land plot may have been spent, this was still lower than the costs associated with conducting general land surveys and deed registrations.

The officer emphasised that title registration provided a complete and permanent ownership certificate to landholders, making the cost comparatively low.

When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Deputy Minister of Land Dr. Susil Ranasinghe admitted that interest in the programme was lacking in certain areas but stressed that the Government had already taken steps to re-energise ‘Bim Saviya.’

“This programme has been resumed in Colombo and Gampaha, but those who live in these areas have shown little interest as most of them already have deeds. Issues regarding land are far more common in remote areas. We have identified this weakness and have already launched a programme to visit these regions and reallocate ‘Bim Saviya’ where it is most needed,” Dr. Ranasinghe said.

He further explained that meetings had already been conducted in Hambantota and Monaragala, with more planned across other districts, as the Government sought to resume the programme more effectively in problem-prone areas.

According to Dr. Ranasinghe, these measures are intended to ensure that the programme finally fulfils its original objective of resolving ownership disputes and issuing secure title certificates to the people.