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New Delhi: Rocked by scams like Adarsh and Sukna where defence land was involved, Defence Minister AK Antony on Wednesday asked the defence estates department to constantly monitor vacant plots of land to prevent encroachment and strictly adhere to laid down policy for granting no objection certificate (NOC) to private builders.
“A few NOCs issued in the past by certain local authorities have earned us a bad name, this must be avoided,” the minister cautioned in his address to chief executive officers of 62 cantonment boards here. His speech was read out in absentia as Antony was indisposed.
The Minister’s warning came at the first performance appraisal conference of the CEOs and he
also declared that all vacant pieces of defence land will be constantly monitored to prevent encroachment. The defence ministry is the largest land holder in the country with more than 17 lakh acres of land.
The Defence Minister also announced that the survey of all the 17 lakh acres of land would be completed in the next three years and all their records would be digitised.
‘In order to protect vacant pieces of defence lands, camping grounds and abandoned airfields, it has been decided that they would be guarded by nearby military units and when this was not possible sufficient manpower resources would be placed with the Defence Estates Officers to look after them,’ he added.
Antony also announced two important projects for efficiently managing defence estates.
“A few NOCs issued in the past by certain local authorities have earned us a bad name, this must be avoided,” the minister cautioned in his address to chief executive officers of 62 cantonment boards here. His speech was read out in absentia as Antony was indisposed.
The Minister’s warning came at the first performance appraisal conference of the CEOs and he
also declared that all vacant pieces of defence land will be constantly monitored to prevent encroachment. The defence ministry is the largest land holder in the country with more than 17 lakh acres of land.
The Defence Minister also announced that the survey of all the 17 lakh acres of land would be completed in the next three years and all their records would be digitised.
‘In order to protect vacant pieces of defence lands, camping grounds and abandoned airfields, it has been decided that they would be guarded by nearby military units and when this was not possible sufficient manpower resources would be placed with the Defence Estates Officers to look after them,’ he added.
Antony also announced two important projects for efficiently managing defence estates.
