KATHMANDU: Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, Prof. Dr. Kumar Ingnam, has emphasized that the beginning of good governance must start from every individual and institution.

Speaking at the inauguration of land administration services by the Land Revenue Office at Kageshwari Manohara Municipality today, he stressed that eliminating corruption, intermediaries, and brokerage is essential for achieving transparent and accountable governance.

Minister Ingnam called for a firm stance against corrupt practices at all levels of public institutions, including the Land Revenue Office.

He stated that for sustainable good governance, leadership, employees, and citizens alike must fulfill their responsibilities diligently.

“Ending misgovernance and establishing a transparent, accountable administrative system is now an absolute necessity,” he said. “We all talk against misgovernance, but the start of good governance must come from ourselves. We must stand firmly against corruption and collectively resist intermediaries and brokerage.”

Highlighting the challenges faced by citizens due to poor governance, Minister Ingnam identified corruption as the root cause undermining public trust in the state. He underlined the need for decisive action to eliminate these malpractices.

“The Ministry of Land Reform has, unfortunately, developed a reputation among citizens as a hub of bribery,” he remarked. “It is crucial to identify and collectively boycott those tarnishing the credibility of public institutions and the state.”

Minister Ingnam also shared the government’s plans to coordinate across federal, provincial, and local levels to make land administration services clean, transparent, and citizen-friendly. He noted that the pilot initiative at Kageshwari Manohara Municipality will soon expand to ten other municipalities, including Kathmandu, Jhapa, Pokhara, Morang, and several in western Nepal. The program is expected to reduce intermediaries, save time and costs, and make services more accessible to citizens.

Expressing his satisfaction, Kageshwari Manohara Mayor Upendra Karki welcomed the launch, saying it would eliminate the need for citizens to travel long distances to access land administration services and ensure faster, efficient, and transparent service delivery.

The inauguration program was attended by local representatives, officials, stakeholders, and a significant number of citizens.