Defence Minister launched portal for Land Management System

On November 19, 2020, the Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched a portal for defence land management system. The system will bring in transparency, speed and efficiency in dealing land management. The portal has been integrated with GIS (Geographical Information System) based tools. This will improve the decision-making process by removing unnecessary communication between the stakeholders.

Defence Land encroachment is the major issue in defence land management.

Encroachments on Defence lands

Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra are the three states that have reported highest encroachments on defence lands in the three years (2017-20). These states are followed by Assam, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh.

The Defence lands are managed by the Directorate General Defence Estates.

Impacts of Encroachments of Defence Lands

The encroachments of defence lands are more common near airfields of Indian Air force. Such encroachments have contributed to 10% fighter jet accidents.

Reasons of encroachments of Defence Lands

Increased urbanization, abandoned airfields and airfields in the vicinity of civil pockets and increase in population are the major reasons of encroachment of defence lands.

What are the steps taken to check encroachment?

The Government of India is strengthening defence land management system through digitisation of land records, demarcation, survey, land audit, verification and inspection under the Cantonment Executive Officers.

Legislation

The Encroachment of Defence lands is checked under Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 and Cantonment Act, 2006.

Defence Lands in India

Around 80% of the Defence lands are owned by Indian Army. The other defence land managers are Air Force, Navy, Ordnance Factory Board, DRDO.

Bhuvan Application

It was developed by ISRO. It allows users to explore the maps in 2D/3D on satellite images. The application is of great help to survey lands in India.

Raksha Bhoomi

It is a software used to register defence lands. Defence Ministry stores two different types of land details. They are General Lands Register (for lands within the cantonments) and Military Land Register (for lands outside cantonments). The software stores details of both the registers.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2020