The allegations against the Gyalpoizhing land allotment as reported by the media are not true, according to the economic affairs minister, Khandu Wangchuk. In the fourth general assembly of Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), which was held in Thimphu today, the minister said there isn’t a single person who hasn’t been compensated for the land the government had taken.
The local media had reported that the Gyalpoizhing land allotment had violated the fourth Druk Gyalpo’s decrees and the Land Act of 1979. The report also says that the land in Gyelposhing town and nearby areas were illegally allotted to several influential people and their relatives. There was also an accusation against the government saying that the people have not been compensated.
Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk said the land was bought after paying the government rate at that time and the land transaction was carried out in line with the procedure.
He said in 1998, the then Monggar Dzongda, Karma Dorji, wrote to the works and human settlement ministry saying that His Majesty had commanded the immediate need to allocate land to the people for the development of a town. He said the letter also stated that the Dzongkhag committee chaired by Dzongkhag will allot the land to the people. “It clearly shows that the authority for the allotment of land in the town area solely lay in the hand of the Dzongkhag committee.”
The Prime Minister, Jigmi Y. Thinley said, be it Yenlag Thromde or those in the capital who own land knows that the land were not allocated to them through a royal decree. “Irrespective of the sizes, the land was being allocated by the Tshogpa or the Thromde Tshogpa.”
According to the report by the media, those involved in the Gyalpoizhing land case are the National Assembly Speaker, Jigme Tshultim, the Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley, Works and Human Settlement Minister, Yeshey Zimba, and the finance minister, Wangdi Norbu.
The case is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
