“SecuringSaZhi the priceless land for prosperity and happiness ”

National Land Commission’s quarterly newsletter April–June, 2016 Vol. III, Issue II Inside this Issue The Champion shares Pg. 2 his memory secret NCRP II completes in Pg. 4 Zhemgang Dzongkhag The First Atlas of Pg. 7 launched Mid term review of JICA Pg. 11 project

Overall concept & advisor: Pema Chewang, Secretary

Editorial Team Yeshi Dorji– Offtg. Director, His Majesty the King visited Dawathang village of Langchenphug gewog Dept. of Survey & Mapping (DoSaM) in Jomotshangkha Drungkhag, Samdrupjongkhar on 23rd June, 2016. Gyeltshen– Offtg. Chief, PPD Dawathang is a new village where 31 households from Langchenphu, Gungsang Wangdi- PPD Serthi and Lauri gewogs started a new life through National Rehabilita- tion Program. His Majesty granted land kidu to the beneficiaries.

Picture courtesy:

Phuntsholing receives new Lagthrams

On 6th June 2016, the Officiating Chief Ur- ban Land Registrar handed over 196 Thrams of Core area and 58 Thrams of Am- ochu area under Phuntsholing Thromde to the Thromde Surveyor Pema Namgyel. The Lagthrams were issued only for the fine plots (without excess or deficit issues).

Lagthrams of extended areas and Local Ar- ea Plans of Damdara, Rinchending and Pekarshing were handed over in 2015.

There are 261 and 38 Thrams in Core area and Amochu LAP respectively which are Dy. Chief Urban Land Registrar handing over Lagthrams of pending due to structure overlap and some Phuntsholing Thromde due to absentee cases. SaZhi Page 2 The 2nd Guest Speaker for the Friday Forum

The Chief Executive Officer of racy -right person for the right the Druk Holding & Investments, job on recognizing his/her ca- Dasho Karma Yezer Raydi was pabilities. the 2nd Guest Speaker invited by NLCS for the Friday Forum DHI is the largest and only gov- th held on 20 May, 2016. ernment-owned holding compa- Having served the tsa-wa-sum ny in Bhutan. It has shares in for 27 years in various capaci- 20 different companies, operat- ties, Dasho has a vast experi- ing in the manufacturing, ener- Dasho Karma Yezer Raydi, gy, natural resources, financial, ence. He talked on “Institution of the CEO of the DHI DHI”. communication, aviation, trad- As per the Charter, DHI re- ing and real estate sectors. Out Dasho said that DHI has been quires to safeguard and en- of the total companies11 are instituted for the welfare of the hance national wealth for all fully owned by the DHI while 3 State and it is the commercial generations of Bhutanese are DHI controlled Companies arm of the Royal Government of through prudent investments. and 6 are DHI linked Compa- Bhutan established in 2007 up- He also stated that DHI aims to nies. The Controlled Compa- on issuance of the Royal Char- improve corporate governance nies are the ones where DHI ter in November 2007 "to hold by way of doing away with bu- has more than 51% of shares and manage the existing and reaucratic procedures and de- and the Linked Companies are future investments of the Royal politicizing the corporate set up. the ones where DHI owns less Government for the long term It was also mentioned that it than 51% of shares. benefit of the people of Bhutan". endeavors to promote meritoc-

The Champion shares his memory secret

The Secretariat invited the memory Champion Mr. Jayasim- ha on 1st and 2nd June 2016 to share his memory secret with the NLCS officials.

The Squadron Leader Mr. Jaya- simha is ’s leading soft skills trainer. He holds maximum Guinness World Records of 14 times. He has 21 years of rich experience in the field of Educa- tion, Training and Development in Air Force.

The session was attended by NLCS staff with Mr. Jayasimha more than 50 staff including Volume III Issue II Page 3

Land Registrars, Survey Engi- memorizing any digit of numbers and make story. Story helps neers, Surveyors, Record Assis- using the following phonetic any person to create pictures in tants and Administrators who method/symbols. mind respective to each word deal with numbers on daily ba- and thus making easy to re- sis. The NLCS Officials have to 1= t, d 6= J, ch, sh member the corresponding deal with lots of numbers such 2= n 7= k, c, g number. as from Thram numbers, plot 3= m 8= f , v numbers, coordinates, areas and 4= r 9= p, b It is believed that humans so on. 5= L 0= z, s "only" make use 10 percent of their brain. The potential of our Therefore, it was felt necessary brain is not known until one Assigning these phonetic signs that NLCS staff know basic tech- makes full use of it. As saying to the number given to memo- niques of memorizing figures rel- goes “Practice makes a man rize, he taught how to create evant to daily work. perfect” Mr. Jayasimha advised word out of the phonetic sign Mr. Jayasimha revealed the cre- everyone to practice the which are easy to remember ative visualization method for memory techniques he had shared. New LAPs of Phuntsholing and demarcated

Kharephug and Damdara Reported by Mr. Kinga Loday for Phuntsholing and Mrs. Tashi Palden for Thimphu, Both are Sr. Survey Engineers (backside): Demarcation of plot boundary in Kharephug and back side of Damdara, under Phuntsholing Thromde were com- pleted by end of May, 2 016.

Kharephug LAP covers an area of 91.55 acres with total of 80 plots. There are 23 Thramholders for 27 plots which accounts for 52.1 acres. Out of the total area only 41.16 acres is developable area. Rest are steep lope with gradient more than 50o.

LAP backside of Damdara covers Arial phot of Khareyphug LAP in Phuntsholing an area of 67.87 acres with total tional plots. During the demarca- of 69 thramholders accounting to of Thmphu Thromde that was st tion, 186 plots were found to be 43.82 acres. There are 87 plots commenced on 1 March 2016 th fine plots which accounted for of which, 18 plots were not able completed on 30 April 2016 by 70.7 percent of the total plots. to finalize demarcation. Only 69 4 survey teams.

plots were demarcated and In the process of plot demarca- mapped for Lagtthram produc- Changzamtog LAP extends over tion, land pooling of 20% for tion. 86.73 acres of area and there plots without access road and are 254 thram holders with 263 25% for others were applied. Changzamtog lap demarcation: plots out of which 48.78 acres of The demarcation work of plots land is registered with private falling within Changzamtog LAP individuals. There are 7 institu- SaZhi Page 4 NCRP II completed in Zhemgang Dzongkhag

The National Cadastral Resur- of 60 Army Personnel who were New Sathram Compilation vey phase II in 8 gewogs of trained in survey and Thram (NSC) time. The X plots are Zhemgang Dzongkhag com- reading. those plots left as forested land pleted in 2nd week of May 2016 during New NSC exercise of which was commenced from The team has verified 2063 1985 to 2005. 6th March this year. cases of pending land issues including survey of Z plots and During the course of survey, the The resurvey team comprised X plots. Z plots are those plots team also verified pending cas- of 7 officials from NLCS includ- which were surrendered and es, unverified plots, omitted ing 2 Survey Engineers, 2 Sur- reverted as State land by those cases and Kasho land. veyors, 2 Land Registrars and landowners who couldn’t pay one IT official along with a team excess land cost during the

Organizational Development Implementation

By, Tshering Tashi, HRO In accordance to approval of informatics Division, erstwhile The Legal, Policy and Planning the Cabinet, the National Land Map Production Division, Cadas- and Human Resource Sections Commission Secretariat estab- tral Information and Topograph- have also been upgraded to lished two departments viz., ical Survey Divisions. Rural land respective Divisions. Department of Land Admin- division, urban land division and istration and Management land management Divisions are The OD approved structure in- (DoLAM) and Department of under DoLAM. cludes the Customer Care Unit, Survey & Mapping (DoSAM). Centre for Geo-information, Ar- Each Department has three Mr. Yeshi Dorji and Mr, Tenzin chiving and Internal Audit Sec- Divisions. Namgay, both Chief Land Regis- tion trars were appointed as the offi- The three Divisions under DoS- ciating Directors of DoSAM & AM includes the Geo- DoLAM respectively.

Mr. Bishwanath Pradhan Mr. Tashi Mr. Geysar Mr. Yeshi Dorji Chief, Topographical Head, Cadastral Information Head, Geo-informatics Officiating. Director Division Division Division Department of Survey & Mapping

Mr. Tenzin Namgay Mr. Binoy Tamang Mr.Chokila Mr. Jigme Tenzin Officiating Director Head, Urban Land Head, Rural Land Head, Land Management Dept. of Land Administration & Management Division Division Division Volume III Issue II Page 5 Land lease rate Revision underway

On 9th June, 2016 officials from PAVA under DNP, Ministry of Finance made a presentation on the revised rate on lease of State land for various activities.

The section 309 of the Land Act 2007 states “A lease fee shall be levied at the rate fixed and revised by the Government after every 5 years notwithstanding Officials from PAVA presenting revision of lease rates any provision in the lease deed to the contrary.” The existing lease rates are formidable, it will rates, it is believed that equity lease rates were fixed in 2009. be too high for any lessee. The with uniformity, to a certain ex- Value Recovery Approach is tent be covered. It has been observed that land found to be lowest of the three. If lease rates came into effect in this approach has to be imple- Having pegged the land lease 2009 and have not been revised mented it would result in most of rates to the land value the land since. the lease rates falling even lower lease rent will be increased in than the existing lease rates. The general except for some of the The three computation methods third approach which is the Per- smaller urban areas and of land value formula, land value centage Value Approach has its Tsamdro, where it will be de- recovery approach and percent- values somewhere in between creased. The increase is genu- age of land value were explored the other two. Therefore, PAVA ine considering that the earlier for revision of lease rates. has recommended that the third rate was way below what it approach which is the Percent- should have been. A comparison of the three ap- age Value Approach be consid- proaches has been made and it ered as basis for revision of The PAVA will have to further is found that the highest lease lease rates. submit the revised lease rates to rate results from the Formula the government for approval. approach. As the percentage With the revised land lease rates increases from the existing pegged to the land compensation Sazhi Page 6 Towards promotion of the National Language As a part of the planned activi- ty of the Secretariat under Dzongkha Development Pro- gram, Dzongkha extempore speech competition was orga- nized on 27th May, 2016.

Seven participants were nomi- The Winner of the Com- The runners up The second runners up nated from different Divisions petition Mr. Pempu Tshering Mr. Leki Khandu under the Secretariat repre- Mr. Sangay Tshering Survey Officer Land Registrar Land Record Assistant. Topographical Division Rural Land Division senting respective Divisions. Urban Land Division The participants were provided 5 minutes each to speak on the topic they picked through a The marking was based on the Land Division bagged the first lucky dip system. participant’s confidence level, prize and Mr. Pembu Tshering, speech within context, pronun- Survey Officer of Topo Division The main objective of conduct- ciation, presentation skill and was the runners up. Mr. Leki ing the Dzongkha extempore time management. Khandu, Assistant Land Regis- speech competition was to trar was the winner of third promote spoken National Lan- Mr. Sangay Tshering, Land prize. guage. Record Assistant of Urban

GIS for Land and Resource Management

A 4-week training on GIS for Land and Resource Manage- ment was held at Royal Thim- phu College from April 18th to 29th 2016. Total of 18 staff of NLCS including Surveyors and Mappers from various Dzonkhags and the Secretariat attended the training.

The course covered following subjects designed to meet the specific needs:  Working with ArcGIS for Training participants with trainers planning  ArcGIS for Analysis ArcGIS  Google Earth Pro and  Working with Geodatabase  Global Positioning Systems ArcGIS online.  Working with ModelBuilder (GPS) data collection and  Using Spatial Analyst for integration with ArcGIS and Volume III Issue II Page 7 ArcGIS is a geographic infor- geographic data; analyzing graphic information in a range mation system (GIS) for work- mapped information; sharing of applications; and managing ing with maps and geographic and discovering geographic in- geographic information in a information. It is used for creat- formation; using maps and geo- database. ing and using maps; compiling

The First Atlas of Bhutan launched

His Majesty the King launched the first Atlas of Bhutan on the sidelines of the rehabilitation land kidu programme in Dawathang village in Jomot- shangkha on June 23, 2016. The NLC published the atlas in cele- bration of the auspicious year of the birth of His Royal Highness the Gyalsey.

A team of cartographers pre- pared the atlas since 2014 and were periodically guided by two Outlook of the Atlas Cover renowned atlas makers from the Netherlands. historical and religious sites The atlas covers two thematic and atlas for tourist are in the pipeline. The work on cultural

atlas, in collaboration with the

Note Department of Culture has al- These three num- ready started. The atlas would bers at sides of be useful for conservation and the atlas page indicate that map identification of the cultural continuity of this sites in the country. On the current one is available in these other hand, the tourist atlas will page numbers facilitate tourist industries to locate hotels, trekking routes, and heritage sites of interest Page Number for visitors. areas of land cover and institutional deeply humbled and honoured Tips for reading atlas: If you facilities. with such rare opportunity for are looking for continuation of His Majesty who has ultimate the map from the page you The atlas will be useful for students, refuge and authority over the are reading go to the page tourists and policy makers in better land, launched the Atlas of number indicated at three cor- understanding Bhutan’s special ge- Bhutan. ners of the page. ography. Cultural atlas which will include The National Land Commission is SaZhi Page 8 Snapshot: Integrated Training Program for NLCS staff

X Batch Trainees with the Chief of Police Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel

XI Batch Trainees with the Chief of Police Brigadier Kipchu Namgyel

XII Batch Trainees with Major Sonam Tshering, Commandant of SRPF Volume III Issue II Page 9

Basics in Making Maps (Cartography)

A presentation on “We make maps”

On the 10th June 2016 Mr. Wim Mr. Wim Feringa,

Feringa, a faculty of Geo- Specialized in Carto- graphic production line, Information Science and Earth Map design and produc- tion, Atlas design and Observation (known as ITC) in production, web design for dissemination of geo the Netherlands, presented the related information basic techniques of making maps.

A map is defined as a repre- unnecessary features be avoid- He illustrated the difference be- sentation, usually on a flat sur- ed. tween the modern and conven- face, of a whole or part of an tional maps which is not so easi- area or a surface of the earth. It The best way to represent par- ly understood until we refer leg- depicts specific features in rela- ticular theme is with color gradi- end. In contrary, one could easi- tion to space and time that a map aims to represent. ent method with one color for ly make out by instant glance at one thing or by using circle leg- the modern map. There are many different types end. For example, population of maps such as political density map could be drawn in In general, all map should con- boundaries, population, physi- either color gradient method or tain international boundaries, cal features, natural resources, using circle size. The darker coastal lines if any, political roads, climates, elevation the color would mean place boundaries, neighboring coun- (topography), and economic with high population density tries name, sea or ocean if any activities among others. and the lighter the color would and only others required for par- show the places with low popu- ticular theme. Mr. Wim stated that maps lation density. Likewise, the Compared to the conventional should be easy to understand same population density map method of making maps manual- for readers at the first glance. represented by circle could be ly modern map making has be- He stressed that all necessary shown places with high popula- come relatively easier with intro- requirements of the features tion with larger circles while duction of mapping software and pertaining to the theme of the smaller circle would indicate computers. map should be shown while low density.

SaZhi Page 10 People of Dawathang village savor a new life of delight

Additional Information by Bijay Pradhan, Sr. Survey Engineer

The rehabilitation project in Dawathang under Langchenphu Gewog of Jomotsangkha Dungkhag was initiated in July 2012 upon the Royal Command. The village covers an area of 71.98 acres.

31 households with total popula- tion of 197 people are settled in Overview of Dawathang village the new village. They are from Serthi, Lauri and Langchenphug ment for skilled labor, CGI rice mill, atta chaki (flour mill) villages. These far flung villages sheet and timber while laborers and cornflake machine. are located at two days walking were provided from respective distance from the Dungkhag Ad- household. Besides cultivation of maize, ministration office. paddy and vegetables for their His Majesty the King granted own consumption some people The beneficiaries were all land- land kidu of 50 decimals for res- have started setting up piggery, less and economically disadvan- idential purpose on freehold ba- fishery and dairy farming for taged people from Jomot- sis while additional cultivable income generation. Other such shangkha Drungkhag. land for agricultural purpose on activities include ginger, pota- use right basis. An average toes and beetle nut plantation. Through the project the area landholding of a household in was developed and provided Dawathang village is about 2.32 The life of the people in with basic amenities including acres. Dawathang village has trans- road and electricity connection. formed and profoundly benefit- The households are provided ed from rehabilitation project. The project also supported build- with seeds and seedlings of ag- The project was initiated at a ing of disaster resistant houses ricultural and horticultural crops cost of Nu. 23.741 million and with three rooms and a toilet. including supplies of agriculture completed in July 2014. The support included wage pay- tools and machineries such as

Land Allotment On June 5, 2016 Pemagatshel Dzongkhag administration allotted 27 commercial and 78 residential plots to business operators and land owners at Denchi. Denchi is a newly de- clared Thromde of Pemagatshel Dzongkhag where present Dzongkhag Administration offic- es and business set up will be shifted once the new Dzong construction is complete.

Photo: Pema Tsheten, Surveyor Volume III Issue II Page 11 Mid Term Review of JICA Project By Tenzin Norbu, Sr. Survey Engineer

NLCS implemented Develop- ment of National Geospatial Data project for the past one and half year in Bhutan with the financial assistance from JICA.

The midterm review of the pro- ject was conducted on June 8, 2016 in Thimphu among the stakeholders including CGISC member, JICA Bhutan Office and representatives from local government. The main objec- JICA and NLCS officials during the Mid Term Review tive was to review the progress and to incorporate changes in has been using the topograph- tion of south-eastern region us- the plan of operation of the pro- ical base maps published in the ing satellite imagery. For the ject by the user and stakehold- 1960s, which are not up to south-western part of the pro- ers. date. ject area, only mapping based

on satellite image has been The project commenced in Over the last 70 years, there completed. However, the field February, 2015 for develop- have been a significant chang- validation will be started from ment of 1:25,000 digital topo- es in terms of land cover and October 2016. Subsequent to graphical map covering 11,000 use either through man-made any satellite mapping, field vali- sq km in the southern region of or by natural calamities. There- dation is indispensable for ac- the country. fore, updation of the topograph- curacy and reliable data.

ical base maps are opportune Geospatial data are essential in facilitating decision making The project will be completed in for designing and carrying out for the planning process. 2017. pre-feasibility studies for devel- opment of any kind of infra- Till date, JICA survey experts structure. So far the country completed mapping and valida-

Human Resource Development By Tshering Tashi, HRO attended the week long train- Training: Mr. Ugyen Dorji, Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar in ing on “Geo-portal Manage- Sr. Survey Engineer of Geo- Mongolia which was organized ment" in June 2016 at Esri, informatics Division attended by International Association of India under GoI funding. a short term training on Geodesy.

"Advanced Theories and Prac- tical Exercise on the Geoid Geo-Portal Management: Computing" from 6 to10 June, Sr. Survey Engineers Mr. Nima 2016 at the Geoid School Gyelpo and Mr. Kuenga Loday

KNOW YOUR LAND ACT

The Land Act of Bhutan 2007

Ownership of land upon registration in Thram

Section 61: The ownership of land shall be conferred to its owner upon registration of such land in the Thram in his name in accordance with the provisions of this act.

Section 62: No Government land or Government Reserved Forest land shall be transferred to private ownership except otherwise provided by the Constitution and as detailed under this Act.

Land may be owned anywhere in the Kingdom Section 63: A juristic person under section 58 of this Act may own land in more than one Ge- wog or Thromde within the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Know the definition

1. Family land means land belonging to family members registered in the name of the head of the

family.

2. Family means one or more individuals who are registered as a family under one unique house- hold number issued and maintained by the civil registration and census authority of the Govern-

ment.

3. Geodetic reference datum means a globally fixed point of reference for surveying and cadas-

tral mapping.

National Land Commission Kawangjangsa, Thimphu PO Box No. 142 PABX +975-02-321217/328181

Hotline: 152 Or

visit our website: www.nlcs.gov.bt

The Staff of NLCS volunteered for paddy cultivation at Dechenphug on 28th May, 2016. It was organized by Minis- try of Agriculture and Forest.