Azad appeals to Antony for rent increase of private property under army use

Defence Minister A.K.Antony met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday, and was told by the latter that there was an urgent need for enhancing rentals of private property, especially land and orchards, under army use in the state.

Srinagar, July 28 : Defence Minister A.K.Antony met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday, and was told by the latter that there was an urgent need for enhancing rentals of private property, especially land and orchards, under army use in the state.

Azad also sought an immediate on account payment of 80 percent rent to the owners till formal sanction by the Defence Estate was accorded.

Senior officers of defence, intelligence and state administration, including Chief Secretary, C. Phunsog, GoC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt. Gen. H. S. Panag, Financial Commissioner, Home, B. R. Kundal, DGP, Kuldeep Khuda, and Commander, 15 Corps, Lt. Gen. Sekhon were present at the meeting.Azad said that a large number of private properties including lands and orchards were under the use of army whose rent cases were pending for a long time.

He said procedures and formalities to pay the rent sometimes took years together. He said there was an immediate requirement of substantial enhancement of the rentals.

Azad said that for speedy revision of rent, the state government should be involved with the exercise since it had full infrastructure and manpower to do the job.

Azad said a large number of educational institutions, hospital buildings, public utility and tourism infrastructure were used as accommodation by the army and para-military forces. He said the alternate accommodation should be raised in such a manner as would make it useful in future when the security forces vacate the buildings after the return of normalcy.

Antony assured Azad that the issues raised by him would be seriously considered. He said he would discuss these with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after his return to Delhi tomorrow.

He said his ministry would do everything to strengthen the hands of the Chief Minister in bringing back normalcy to the state.Antony complimented the state administration and security forces for the improvement in the situation. He expressed satisfaction on the fast improving security scenario and said the level of violence had come down. The situation, he said, was better than what it used to be some years back.

ANI