Fact Check: Viral Claim That Balen Government Gave Land Ownership Certificate to 900 Chitwan Squatter Families Is Misleading

Kathmandu. Social media posts claiming that the government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has distributed land ownership certificates (Lalpurja) to 900 squatter families in Chitwan have gone viral in recent days. The posts describe the move as a historic achievement, claiming the current government accomplished what previous governments had failed to do for the past 35–36 years.

However, an investigation by the TechPana FactCheck Desk found the claim to be misleading.

The viral video being shared is not recent. It dates back to the period when the now-dissolved Land Problem Resolution Commission was operating. According to official government data, the current government has distributed land ownership certificates to only 34 households, all located in Bardiya and Jhapa. There is no evidence that 900 families in Chitwan recently received Lalpurja under the current government.

Claim

On July 16, 2026, at 8:04 p.m., Facebook user Ramesh Malla shared a video with the caption, "Breaking news, everyone, breaking news! The Balen government has once again won the hearts of 30 million Nepalis. At the same time, they have also won over the hearts of the squatters. Just recently in Chitwan, the Balen government distributed land ownership certificates (Lalpurja) to 900 squatter households. They have now decided to continue this process and distribute Lalpurja to such families in every place, in every district. Please share the video as much as possible so that it reaches not only the squatter communities but all 30 million Nepalis."

The video shows several people celebrating after receiving land ownership certificates. As of the time of fact-checking, the post had received more than 63,000 views, 4,100 reactions, 73 comments, and 362 shares. See the original post, archive post, and screenshot.

Investigation

The same video was also shared by Facebook user Shyam Tamang on July 16, 2026, with the caption, "Friends, please share this new news with everyone. In Chitwan district, 900 squatter families have received property ownership certificates. The work done by the Rastriya Swatantra Party is really good; everyone should support them. And those who have been looting the country for 36 years, claiming they would give the squatters property certificates, haven’t been able to deliver so far. Now just watch, they will be so jealous."

At the time this fact-check was prepared, Tamang's post had accumulated more than 20,200 reactions, 913 comments, and over 2,100 shares. See the original post and screenshot.

The same claim has been widely circulated by other Facebook users, with many praising the current government for distributing the land ownership certificates.

Among those sharing the claim was Rajendra Sharma, a Baglung-based politician of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa). He wrote, "Nearly 900 families in Chitwan, who were squatters, have received land ownership certificates. After 35 years of various commissions being formed and dissolved, they are extremely happy to finally get justice from the state, along with the land certificates."

The viral video appears to have been recorded inside a government office. Photographs of President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) are visible on the office wall.

In the footage, a person says, "After a long time today, we have made numerous attempts with various commissions, dating back to the 1956–57 commission. Commissions were formed and then dissolved repeatedly. We were not able to get it earlier. Now, under the leadership of our Man Singh Tamang, we have received the certificate today. All the villagers are expressing immense joy at this moment. We also sincerely thank him, sir." See the original post, archive link, and screenshot.

See the posts that claim 900 squatters from Chitwan received land ownership certificates:

The TechPana FactCheck Desk began to examine the BIPS Media logo visible in the video and investigate its source.

The investigation found that the video was originally published on the official Facebook page of BIPS Media on May 10, 2026, approximately nine weeks before it began circulating with misleading claims.

The people seen in the video were thanking Iman Singh Lama, the then-chairperson of the Land Problem Resolution Commission in Chitwan, not the current Balen government.

The commission was later dissolved

The FactCheck Desk also reviewed the latest status of the Land Problem Resolution Commission.

Reports published by several media outlets, including OnlineKhabar, show that the current Balen-led government later abolished the commission through an ordinance.

The Land Problem Solving Commission, established by the KP Sharma Oli-led government in October 2024, was later reinstated following a Supreme Court order. However, the current government subsequently abolished the commission through an ordinance and shifted its responsibilities to task forces and committees.

What the former commission chair says

To verify the video's context, the TechPana FactCheck Desk contacted Iman Singh Lama, who served as chairperson of the Land Problem Solving Commission in Chitwan and is a CPN-UML leader.

Lama confirmed that although the video was recorded after the current government had assumed office, the land ownership certificates shown in the footage were distributed through the commission established by the previous KP Sharma Oli-led government, before the commission was dissolved.

He said that during his 14-month tenure, he was able to actively work for only three months, during which the commission distributed 916 land ownership certificates.

"This was not distributed by the current government," Lama said. "It was done through the commission formed by the government led by KP Sharma Oli. The current government later brought an ordinance and dissolved the commission. Since then, no new land ownership certificates have been distributed here."

Ministry confirms only 34 certificates distributed

For further verification, we contacted Bibek Ghimire, Information Officer and Undersecretary at the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration.

Ghimire confirmed that the current government has so far distributed land ownership certificates to only 34 households, all located in Bardiya and Jhapa.

He also clarified that the claim that 900 families in Chitwan recently received Lalpurja under the current committee or any task force is false.

Claim

The government led by Balendra Shah (Balen) of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa) distributed land ownership certificates (Lalpurja) to 900 squatter families in Chitwan.

Claimants

Facebook users Ramesh Malla, Shyam Tamang, Rajendra Sharma, Bishnu Gurung, Dipendra Bhandari, and others.

Facts

• The viral video is not recent; it was originally published on May 10, 2026, about nine weeks before it was reshared with misleading claims.

• The Lalpurjas shown in the video were distributed by the former Land Problem Resolution Commission, not by the current Balen government.

• The beneficiaries in the video are thanking Iman Singh Lama, the commission's then-chairperson, but social media users have falsely portrayed the footage as a recent achievement of the current government.

• According to the Ministry of Land Management, the current government has so far distributed only 34 land ownership certificates, all in Bardiya and Jhapa.

Conclusion

The claim that the Balen government distributed land ownership certificates to 900 squatter families in Chitwan is misleading.

Although the certificates shown in the viral video were distributed after the current government came to power, the work was carried out through the Land Problem Resolution Commission established by the KP Sharma Oli-led government. The current government later dissolved that commission through an ordinance and replaced it with a new committee-based mechanism.

Since then, no new land ownership certificates have been distributed in Chitwan. Therefore, presenting an old video of the commission's work as evidence of a recent or historic achievement by the current government is false and spreads misinformation.

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