Illegal Occupation of Defence Land in India

New Delhi. 26 April, 2016. The Ministry of Defence has received reports from the land management agencies under it, of about approximately 10126 acres of defence land being under encroachment.  This is around 0.58% of the total land holding of Ministry of Defence.

Reports and complaints on the subject are received from time to time but no centralized record of such complaints is maintained by the Ministry.  Action against encroachment is taken under the law viz. Public Premises (Eviction of unauthorised occupants) Act, 1971 and Cantonment Act 2006.  In addition action aimed at prevention, detection and removal of encroachments, is an ongoing process.  As a result of these efforts extent of defence land, recorded as illegally occupied or encroached has reduced by approximately 2512.83 acres in the last three years.

Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) in the Ministry of Defence maintains a comprehensive data bank of defence land across the country.  The details of total area of land under the ownership of Ministry of Defence, State-wise is as under:-

All Defence land is earmarked for Defence purposes.  To ensure proper utilisation of Defence land periodic Defence Land Audit is carried out.  In addition the Government has constituted a Committee to inter alia suggest ways to optimise use of Defence land.

This information was given by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar iin the Parliament.