Land Management

GEO/97/020/
Total budget: USD 2,292,383
UNDP Sector: Sustainable management of natural resources
Adopted: July 1998
Starting date: April 1999
Duration: 2 years

Background

The privatisation of land in Georgia has reached the stage where the priority needs to be changed to the registration of ownership. This has several considerations: there is a need for land registration to provide security to the new private owner to facilitate the process of land dealing, and there is a need for creation of a land market as a major component of free market economy. It is a prerequisite for a land market to ensure that the land is registered under a consistent system. Furthermore, the landowners should pay a fair and equitable tax. Such taxation is not feasible without an all-encompassing land/property information system. The State Department of Land Management (SDLM) was established in 1997 to address the above issues. However, being a newly created authority, the SDLM’s capacity in development and implementation of land administration is not sufficient and needs to be enhanced in terms of organisation, management, knowledge, skills and procedures. Furthermore, the facilities of the SDLM’s branch offices need upgrading.

Objective

This capacity building-cum-direct support project aims at supporting the Government’s strategy for the development of land markets and implementation of land taxation through improving the managerial and administrative capacity of the SDLM, and by assisting the establishment of cadastre, land registration and taxation systems. The development objective of the project is to support the country’s economic transformation to a market economy through establishment of secure right to private land ownership. More specifically, the immediate objectives are as follows:

1. To enhance the capacity of SDLM to develop and implement efficient and cost-effective land administration systems and procedures.

2. To develop and introduce on pilot basis land registration and cadastral systems including fiscal cadastre.

Activities

1. Training the staff of the SDLM through study tours, seminars, on-the-job training and fellowships. Training modalities for different target groups will be tailored on the basis of training needs assessment.

2. Development of an information technology/information systems strategy.

3. Development and introduction of improved organisational structure and procedures.

4. Repairing the SDLM’s branch offices and equipping them with necessary technology.

5. Development of a computerised land taxation system.

6. Development and introduction of a cadastral system in one pilot rayon.

7. Development and introduction of a land registration system in one pilot rayon.

Expected outcomes

1. The SDLM’s capacity in development and implementation of land administration will be enhanced. An improved organisational structure and procedures will be introduced and staff appropriately trained.

2. A coherent long-term information technology/information systems (IT/IS) strategy for development of cadastre and land registration will be designed.

3. SDLM will have the capacity to formulate, monitor and co-ordinate programs/projects.

4. SDLM’s branch offices will have necessary offices and equipment.

5. A simple and automated system will be developed to produce property tax lists and contractors will be trained in carrying out the tasks.

6. Systems will be developed for cadastre and land registration. The systems will be tested in a pilot

7. rayon.