Guwahati: The Defence Ministry through a notification has approved and sanctioned some of the long overdue land compensation for the private land acquired by the Army for defence purposes in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh, an official source in Itanagar informed.
Pema Khandu during his visit to National Capital earlier this month had called on the Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman and apprised her about the long pending land cases and the need for its early disposal. The Defence Minister had very promptly responded to Khandu’s request and had assured that she would visit the state in last part of October and sort out all the pending issues pertaining to land acquisition, compensation etc.
According to the notification dated September 19, 2017 issued by the Defence Ministry, sanction has been accorded for Rs 48,63,55,191/- (Rupees forty-eight crores sixty-three lakhs fifty-five thousand one hundred ninety-one only) as being the land compensation amount for 177.03 acres of community land at Tenga Garrison in West Kameng district which was acquired by Army for Key Location Plan of formation/unit.
Similar sanction of land compensation was accorded for Rs 67,05,67,616.97/- (Rupees sixty-seven crores five lakhs sixty-seven thousand six hundred seventeen only) for establishing HQ 22 Infantry Brigade Less One Infantry Battalion in an acquired private land of 341.882 acres at Bora Rupak Village under Upper Subansiri district.
The Defence Ministry also accorded sanction to the tune of Rs 42,42,30,400/- (Rupees forty-two crores forty-two lakhs thirty thousand four hundred only) for housing Key Location Plan Units of Tawang Garrison for an acquired land of 200.056 acres of private land at Bomja village under Mukto circle of Tawang district.
Khandu stated that this move of the centre will further the cordial relations with Army and civilians and strengthen the bond and trust enjoyed by each other. He further hoped that the defence ministry would clear all other pending issues in a time bound manner.