Under the provisions of this ordinance, land may be allocated exclusively to individuals belonging to the farming community, low-income groups, high-income groups, and educated youth in Sri Lanka, for the purposes of engaging in agricultural activities, establishing a permanent residence, or for both. Land shall not be allocated under this ordinance for any purposes other than those expressly stated herein.

Issuance of Grants under the Land Development Ordinance

In order to provide relief to the farming community of Sri Lanka, the government implements the Land Development Ordinance, under which state lands are distributed through a structured grant issuance process. Within this framework, the responsibilities assigned to the respective offices are as follows:

1. Divisional Secretariat
   • Land recipients submit a request to obtain a grant for their respective land.
   • Upon receiving the request, officers of the Divisional Secretariat conduct a field inspection. If the land is found to be properly developed, a requisition of survey is issued to the District Superintendent of Surveys, requesting the preparation of a tracing by surveying and marking boundaries.
   • Accordingly, the Superintendent of Surveys prepares the relevant tracing and submits it to the Divisional Secretariat.
   • Upon receiving the tracing, the Divisional Secretary prepares the grant using the prescribed Form, Land Com. 156.
   • During this stage, a grant number is assigned. In certain provinces, this number is issued by the Provincial Land Commissioner.
   • The prepared grant is forwarded to the Provincial Land Commissioner / Deputy Land Commissioner. (A report as per Circular No. 2008/01 must be mandatorily attached.)
   • Once the grant is signed by H. E. the President, it is returned to the Divisional Secretariat and then sent to the Land Registry for registration.
   • After the registration is completed by the Land Registry, the grant is returned to the Divisional Secretariat.
   • The registered grant is then issued to the grantee upon payment of the relevant service fees.
   • A copy of the grant is retained at the Divisional Secretariat, and the land ledger is updated accordingly.
2. Provincial Land Commissioner’s / Deputy Land Commissioner’s Office
   • Verify the grants received from the Divisional Secretariats; record them in the required documents, and forward complete and error-free grants to the Land Commissioner General’s Department.
   • Return any grants with deficiencies to the respective Divisional Secretariat for correction.
3. Land Commissioner General’s Department
   • Record all land grants received from the Provincial Land Commissioner / Assistant Land Commissioner in the appropriate documentation and update the official receipt register accordingly.
   • Verify the accuracy and completeness of each grant, ensuring compliance with the following guidelines:
     • Land Commissioner General’s Circular No. 2008/01.
     • Ensure that the first and second schedules have been properly prepared in accordance with Circular No. 5/2/6/Ranbima and the circular dated 07.11.2007, issued by the Land Commissioner General.
   • Record the error-free ledgers in the ledger.
   • Return any grants with deficiencies to the Provincial Land Commissioner / Assistant Land Commissioner for correction.
   • Affix red labels to the verified grants and prepare covering letters for submission to the Presidential Secretariat.
   • Forward the grants along with the covering letter to the Secretary to the President.
   • Once the signature of H.E. the President is obtained, the signed grants are returned by the Secretary to the President to the Land Commissioner General’s Department.
   • Upon receipt, certify the counter copies of the grants, enclose the original, and dispatch them to the respective Divisional Secretary / Land Commissioner / Assistant Land Commissioner.
4. Presidential Secretariat
   • Place the facsimile of the signature of H.E. the President on the grants received from the Land Commissioner General, and return them to the Land Commissioner General.
5. Land Registry
   • Once the grants signed by H.E. the President are forwarded by the Divisional Secretary to the Land Registry, ensure that they are duly registered in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
   • Thereafter, return the registered grants to the respective Divisional Secretary.

Issuance of Long Term Leases under the State Lands Ordinance

Leases are issued under the State Lands Ordinance No. 8 of 1947. Long-term leases of 30 years are granted to individuals and institutions for residential, agricultural, and commercial purposes. For special projects, the lease period may be extended up to 50 years. Based on the successful utilization of the initial lease period, further extensions may be considered. The permits may be assigned or mortgaged with the prior approval of the Land Commissioner General.

Alienation of State Lands to Departments under the State Lands Ordinance

A certificate of Land Release is issued when alienating state lands to government departments.

Vesting Orders under the State Lands Ordinance

Lands are allocated to the Tri-Forces and Local Government Institutions through the issuance of vesting orders.

Disposition of State Lands for Buddhist Temples under the State Lands Ordinance

Pooja Deeds are issued free of charge for temple premises that have been developed as Buddhist temples for the preservation of Buddhism, intended to be inherited by the lineage of disciples and successors. These premises must include the essential elements necessary to function and be maintained as recognized places of Buddhist worship.

In situations where the essential components required for a Buddhist temple are not present, a preliminary lease concession is granted to such temples and Buddhist centers under a relief percentage. Although preliminary lease concession is provided at first, once the premises have been developed and maintained to a level where they fully meet the requirements of a temple, a Poojaboomi Grant is then issued.

Issuance of long-term lease to Buddhist institutions that do not fall under the category of Buddhist temples, and to other non-Buddhist religious sites.

State lands are alienated on a preferential basis to Buddhist institutions that are not temples, as well as to other entities engaged in religious, charitable, philanthropic, scientific, or educational activities. The lease of such land is granted to the board of trustees of a legally established organization.

Special Grants under the State Lands Ordinance

Under special circumstances, grants may be issued with the approval of H.E. the President, and no payment is required in such instances. Examples include the allocation of land to various government institutions for special social welfare programs, and the provision of alternative land to individuals who have not received compensation for private land acquired by the state.

Issuance of Instruments of Disposition

The issuance of Instruments of Disposition was initiated under the Land Grants (Special Provisions) Act, No. 43 of 1979, to facilitate the distribution of state land to low-income earners (those with an annual income below Rs. 1,750). Within this process, the responsibilities assigned to each of the respective offices are as follows:

1. Divisional Secretariat
   • Assess the eligibility of applicants for the issuance of an Instrument of Disposition and allocate land allotments accordingly. Issue the Instrument of Disposition for this purpose.
   • Upon request from landowners, inspect whether the land has been developed as specified, and issue a requisition of survey to the District Superintendent of Surveys to survey.
   • The Survey Department prepares the prescribed diagram and submits it to the Divisional Secretary. The Divisional Secretary then duly completes the prescribed form, Land Com. 141, and forwards it to the Provincial Land Commissioner / Deputy Land Commissioner.
   • Before preparing the Instrument of Disposition, the relevant land must have been vested in the State and published in the Gazette. A copy of this Gazette notification must be submitted along with the Instrument of Disposition.
   • A number should not be assigned to the Instrument of Disposition.
2. Provincial Land Commissioner’s / Deputy Land Commissioner’s Office
   • Check whether the Instrument of Disposition has been correctly prepared by the Divisional Secretary, record the relevant details in the documents, and forward them to the Land Commissioner General’s Department.
   • If there are any deficiencies, the documents are sent back to the Divisional Secretary for corrections.
3. Land Commissioner General’s Department
   • Check the received Instruments of Disposition.
   • Record in the ledger.
   • Assign a number to each Instrument of Disposition and record it in the relevant ledger. The number should be typewritten at the top of the Instrument of Disposition.
   • Attach a red label to the original copy and separate the other three copies.
   • Prepare a covering letter to send the original copy with the red label to the Presidential Secretariat.
   • Forward the Instrument of Disposition along with the covering letter to the Presidential Secretariat.
   • Send the Instrument of Disposition certified by the Secretary to the President to the Deputy Land Commissioner / Provincial Land Commissioner, who then forwards them to the Divisional Secretary.
4. Presidential Secretariat
   • The Instrument of Disposition shall be certified with the facsimile of the signature of H.E. the President and then returned to the Land Commissioner General’s Department.
5. District Land Registry

   The Instrument of Disposition, signed by H.E. the President and sent to the Divisional Secretary, is forwarded by the Divisional Secretary to this office for registration.

   • After registration, it is returned to the Divisional Secretary.
   • Following registration, the Divisional Secretary issues the Instrument of Disposition to the respective landowner.