SOURCE: INDIA TODAY
In a significant move, the J&K administration has withdrawn a 1971 circular that required a no objection certificate (NOC) from its home department for acquisition or requisition of land in favour of the Indian Armed Forces like the Army, BSF, CRPF etc. Now, the Army, CRPF and the BSF would no longer need a no objection certificate (NOC) for acquisition/ requisition of land in Jammu and Kashmir.
The development comes as the Central law on land acquisition is being extended to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Such acquisition in J&K will now be covered under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
“In view of the extension of Right to Fair compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 to the UT of J&K, the circular No. Rev(LB) 71/13-A dated 27.08.1971 which prescribed obtaining of No Objection Certificate from the Home Department for Acquisition/Requisition of land in favour of Army, BSF/CRPF and similar organisation, is hereby withdrawn,” states an order issued by the UT’s Revenue Department on July 24.
The Jammu and Kashmir administrtaion further adds that Collectors for land acquisition in every district, designated under the Right to Fair Compensation Act, and the Competent Authority Land Acquisition (CALA) under the National Highway Act, 1956, have been asked to process the cases of land acquisition/ requisition strictly in accordance with the provisions of these two Acts and the rules made thereunder henceforth.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 provides for land to be acquired “for strategic purposes relating to naval, military, air force, and armed forces of the Union, including central paramilitary forces or any work vital to national security or defence of India or State police, safety of the people”.
