YANGON, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government has returned over 481.92 acres (195 hectares) of farmland confiscated by the Ministry of Defense to 123 farmers in Toungoo, Bago region, Myanmar News Agency reported Sunday.
A ceremony to return such lands to the farmers was held on Saturday in Toungoo, attended by Second Vice President U Henry Van Thio, who is also chairman of the Central Committee for Scrutinizing Confiscated Farmlands.
Myanmar government has been taking measures to return seized land to farmers, its original owners, considering that the farmland is their lives.
As of May this year, hundreds of hectares of confiscated land in Yangon, Mandalay and Ayeyarwady regions as well as in Shan and Kayin states and Nay Pyi Taw Council area had been handed back to their original owners.
During the tenure of the former government, private companies and government departments were allowed to confiscate land, including farmland, in accordance with the 2012 Farmland Law under the pretext of urbanization and industrialization.
However, land dispute was brought about between the government, landowners and investors over ownership.
More than one month after taking office in April 2016, the new government voiced commitment to the speedy resolution of the farmland confiscation issue and for the prompt return of abandoned land to their lawful owners.
