Rajya Sabha approves Cantonment Bill

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha today approved by a voice vote The Cantonments Bill, 2003, with a string of amendments, with the government asserting that land in cantonment areas would not be given to private contractors to construct highrise buildings.

The voluminous bill, comprising 365 clauses and five schedules, was approved by the House with as many as 42 amendments though the Standing Committee had suggested 92 recommendations.

The bill seeks to replace a 1924 law for imparting greater democratisation and improving the financial base of 62 cantonment boards in the country.

It also makes provisions for developmental activities, proper regulation and control and management of defence lands, including extension of cantonment laws to such lands.

Replying to over two-hour debate, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that development had to be done on 15 lakh acres of defence land but these would not be given to private contractors for constructing highrise buildings.

He said Delhi Metro and certain development projects in Bangalore had come up substantially on defence land but these were all for developmental purposes.

Mr Mukherjee pointed out that in 1990, the government had taken a decision that even if a small piece of defence land was to be developed, it would be decided not by the Defence Minister but by the Union Cabinet.

He left no ambiguity in his assertion that ''cantonments are not a creation of municipality'' but are predominantly for civic amenities of troops, including their health and habitat conditions.

''Cantonments are meant for location of troops, and these cannot be equated with muncipalities because there are already enough municipalities in the country,'' he said, adding that these were deficiencies and handicaps inherent in the system.

However, a cantonment board mandatorily had to be under the station officer, he argued.

Conceding that elections to cantonment boards were not held during past seven years, he said the government had thought that these could be conducted after the passage of the bill.

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