Civil areas in Cantonments to merge with ULBs
Defence ministry decision to affect Belagavi and 30 other cities
Belagavi is one of the 31 cities in the country where parts of military cantonments will merge with the civic areas of the city.
A large part of the military cantonment areas in these cities will revert to the municipal corporations that will take over their administrations. This also means that the cantonment boards that were administering these areas till now, will cease to do so. Urban local bodies in the respective cities will take over the staff and infrastructure of the boards to aid in the administration of these areas.
This was decided in a meeting headed by the defence secretary in New Delhi on June 25.
It was declared in the meeting that this was in line with the Prime Minister’s vision for a new and Vikasit Bharat by 2047, where all old colonial arrangements and practices were being shed. The meeting decided to transfer all municipal control over all civil areas in the 31 cantonments, including Belagavi to the state governments and therefore, to the urban local bodies in those cities. “The Government of India has decided to excise the civil areas of the cantonments and merge them with the adjoining state municipalities so that they are administered by the regular democratic institutions under local municipal laws. The residual areas of cantonment officers meant for armed forces shall be retained with the Ministry of Defence as ‘Military Stations’, “ minutes of the meeting said.
Cantonment Board meeting
In Belagavi, the modalities of the transfer will be decided at a meeting of the Cantonment Board to be held on Saturday. MPs Jagadish Shettar and Iranna Kadadi, Board officers and military officers will participate.
The Belgavi Cantonment Residents’ Welfare Association said it is looking forward for the crucial meeting as it will determine the future development of Belagavi, that is perceived as the State’s second capital. “We hope the State government and the BCC is equipped to handle the new responsibilities. It is also a challenge to the Deputy commissioner and the BCC officers to transform Belagavi into a genuine Smart city,’‘ Nitin Khot, an office bearer of the association, said.
“Civil areas in Belagavi include the 192 British era buildings, called Old Grant Bungalows, several roads and other public areas. Belagavi city corporation will have complete financial control of these areas including these assets. BCC can raise taxes and levy other charges on them, regulate activities and implement rules for their smooth administration. BCC in turn will have the responsibility of providing all municipal services to these bungalows and other areas.
“A compact military station will be formed in a part of the cantonment where civilians will not reside. The Army will be in charge of the security of the station area. In Belagavi, it has been suggested that the station can be formed in the land west of Parade Road to Shourya circle, Gandhi Chowk and Hindalga Ganesh temple,’‘ Mr. Khot said. He suggested that the additional pubic lands that could be available from the excision could be used for public purposes like housing of government offices like the Deputy commissioner’s office.
- Telegram
SEE ALL
PRINT
Karnataka
/
Belgaum
/
defence
/
development
/
Roads and Rails
/
civic infrastructure
/
land resources
/
public housing