HYDERABAD: In a major step, the Centre has established broad guidelines and principles for the excision of civil areas from Cantonments nationwide, including in Hyderabad. The issuance of these guidelines followed a meeting chaired by Union Defence Secretary A. Giridhar.”
The guidelines state that proprietary rights over assets intended for civic amenities and municipal services in the excised areas will be transferred at no charge to state governments or municipalities. This involves transferring the assets and liabilities of the Cantonment Boards to the state municipality, in this case, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Additionally, the responsibility for leased or old grant properties in the excised areas will be transferred to the municipality.
Meeting discussions highlighted that proprietary rights over assets of the Cantonment Board meant for municipal services and civic amenities will be transferred at no cost to the municipality or local body. The jurisdiction of the State Municipality will cover all civil areas of the Cantonments, excluding the Military station. The Centre will retain title rights over the land it owns.
The guidelines further indicate that local municipal laws will apply to the transferred civil areas, enabling the state municipality to impose local taxes and fees. The Armed Forces’ security concerns will be prioritized, particularly for privately held lands near Military stations, such as agricultural leases, with each instance considered on its own merits.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has been proactive in resolving the long-pending merger of civil areas of the Cantonment Board with the GHMC, consistently raising the matter with the Defence Minister during his trips to Delhi. He also sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention during his visit to Telangana on March 5. The Cantonment Vikas Manch expressed gratitude to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Secunderabad Cantonment MLA Sri Ganesh, and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane for making the merger a reality.
Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari stated that the government has already responded to the Union government’s proposal to excise civil areas from the SCB and integrate them into the GHMC. ‘The Telangana government is determined to complete the process swiftly,’ she noted.
