Government Gazettes New Regulations for Non-Residential Land Allocation Across Maldives

The Maldives government has officially gazetted new regulations governing the allocation of land for non-residential purposes. Established under the Land Act, these rules create a standardized procedure for how councils, ministries, and other state institutions assign land for commercial, industrial, or public use. The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development will oversee the implementation of the new framework. The regulations aim to bring transparency to the land allocation process by defining clear principles for distribution, outlining the issuance of registration documents, and specifying the legal rights and responsibilities of land recipients. Under the new system, land allocation will align with policies determined by the President. When the land falls within the jurisdiction and ownership of a local council, that council will manage the allocation. In all other instances, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development will hold the authority to assign the land. To ensure fair market value, the President will establish a nine-member Land Valuation Committee. This committee will determine minimum lease rents, minimum sale prices, and the value of land reserved for government use. When assessing these values, the committee will analyze the land's specific location within a city or island, existing levels of economic activity, and current market demand. The Land Valuation Committee will feature a diverse cross-section of government expertise, including representatives from the ministries of Finance, Economic Affairs, Fisheries, Tourism, Construction, and Agriculture, as well as the Local Government Authority. The President will appoint the committee's chair from among these members. To ensure accountability, all councils and ministries involved in land transactions must maintain a detailed register of all allocated or sold plots. While land registers created before these regulations remain valid, the government has mandated that all such records be updated within six months to comply with the new standards. These updates build upon the foundation of the Maldives Land Act, which was originally enacted in 2003 to manage the nation's limited land resources.