Defence land

One of the main cases highlighted in the report is that of that of Royal Calcutta Turf Club, which was leased out 153 acres of land in Kolkata Maidan in January 1932; the lease was last renewed until December 2006. A proposal to grant lease to RCTC for 15 more years (till December 2021) is still under the ministry’s consideration, leading to non-realisation of revenue. Other cases where losses have been incurred due to delay in renewal of lease include IOCL Bulk Petroleum Installation in Pune, HPCL petrol pump and service station at Dhaula Kuan in Delhi, BPCL petrol pump at Delhi cantonment and Thane Sporting and Club Committee in Thane. The panel said that defence land record management was unsatisfactory and required complete overhaul.

Pointing to legal tangles arising from poor land management, the draft said, “The committee are dismayed to note that a PSU filing case against a ministry of Government t of India in the court presents a very sad picture. The courts are already overburdened and therefore…all cases between the wings of Govt of India or those under its aegis to be taken to a special tribunal to be constituted for the purpose to enable fast track decision…” The PSU referred to above is Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, which has moved Delhi High Court in a lease case.

The panel has said the process of renewal of leases should begin a year before the lease is to expire.

A defence ministry official, in response to a question on the draft report, said the government was taking measures to fine-tune the defence land management system for better financial returns. The official said land would be leased or rented out at market rates from now on.