THE Lands Ministry has embarked on a Land Use Master Plan to attribute usage, climate, soil type, contour and other geospatial components to land parcels in the country.
This was revealed by new Lands Minister, Faiyaz Koya, who said it would enhance this electronic tool for land management and strategic planning for other government ministries, as well as his own.
Since 2011, the Lands Ministry has been provided a budget to consolidate an electronic National Land Register.
“This is the identification of land tenure for every parcel of land in Fiji which requires the combines efforts and cooperation of stakeholders, like the I Taukei Land Trust Board and the Registrar of Titles,” Koya said at a seminar hosted by the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Suva.
He said priorities include an industrial subdivision at Vakamasisuasua in Labasa to help alleviate rising demands for industrial land in the town and encourage more investments in Fiji’s Northern division.
The ministry’s Land Use Division has overseen the leasing of approximately 2,538.074 hectares of native land.
“With a total number of 37 leases managed by the division to date, a total revenue of $6 million (from inception to date) has been generated by these leases, directly benefitting the LOU financially, thus stimulating economic growth,” Koya added.
Targets for the next financial year include the completion of new subdivision developments at Legalega, Nadi and Yako, on its outskirts.