The Cantonments Act, 2006
Act 41 of 2006
- Published on 18 December 2006
- Commenced on 18 December 2006
- [This is the version of this document from 18 December 2006.]
- [Note: The original publication document is not available and this content could not be verified.]
41. of 2006
340.
Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The Cantonments Act, 1924 (2 of 1924) makes provisions relating to the administration of cantonments. As cantonments are Central territories under the Constitution, the civic bodies functioning in these areas are not covered under State municipal laws.2. In view of the present day, aspirations and needs of the people residing in cantonment areas and in order to bring in modern municipal management procedures/techniques in such areas, it is proposed to enact a new legislation by replacing the Cantonments Act, 1924 to provide for-(i) greater democratisation; (ii) reservation of seats in Cantonment Boards for women and the Scheduled Castes /Scheduled Tribes; (iii) better financial management; (iv) extension of centrally sponsored development schemes to such areas; (v) management of defence lands and their audit, etc.3. The new legislation has been modified with a view to re-enact the existing Act in the context of Seventy-fourth Constitutional Amendment and to provide for better urban management in cantonments as recommended by the Standing Committee of Parliament on Defence and the Action Taken Note of the Government on their recommendations. Broadly, the proposed modifications-could be categorised as under:(i) Greater Democratisation.-The Bill envisages enhanced representation for elected members to make proper balance between the elected and nominated one. Reservation of seats in the Cantonment Boards for women and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes would also fall in this category. In the proposed Bill, parity has been brought between the official and elected members of the Board and with this, the number of elected members would increase. The enhanced representation for elected members will cater for increased civil population in the cantonment areas(ii) Land Management. - Over the years, the defence land ownership has increased to 17.13 lakh acres out of which about 2 lakh acres of such lands are situated within 62 notified cantonments being managed under the existing Act. There is no statute to cover the management of about 15 lakh acres of defence lands lying outside the cantonments. As on date, these defence lands are regulated by executive instructions (not covered under any statute) issued by the Central Government from time to time through Acquisition, Custody, Relinquishment, etc., of Military Lands in India (ACR) Rules, 1944, which are non-statutory in nature.The Management of Cantonment Board properties and the defence lands outside the cantonments is different from each other in a sense that the former is covered under the existing Act and the Cantonment Property Rules, 1925 made thereunder, whereas, there is no such legislation or rules for the latter. The Standing Committee of Parliament (12th Lok Shabha) recommended that provisions may be made in the Cantonments Act itself regarding management of defence lands, their records, consolidation of earlier policies and land audit.Statutory provisions have accordingly been made and a new Chapter on management of defence lands has been added in the Bill. The provisions contained in this Chapter will, inter *Received the assent of the President on 13-9-2006 and published in the Gazette of India, Ext., Pt. II, Section 1, dated 14-9-2006.'--IN vivw1Iztv15AC 1',2006 [S.1 alia, enable the Central Government to notify the defence lands, consolidate land management policies and records in regard to defence lands, carry out land audits to detect abuse if any, non-utilisation and sub-optimal utilisation of lands.The Standing Committee of Parliament has also recommended making legal provisions to tackle encroachments on defence lands situated all over the country. Accordingly, the problem of encroachments is now proposed to be tackled through the provisions contained in clauses 239, 248, 249, 253 and 257 of the proposed Bill. This would be in addition to the powers available to the Government under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.(iii) Development impetus. - In addition, provisions have been made which would give necessary impetus to development activities. To keep pace with recent developments, provisions have also been made for developmental and welfare activities like town-plwater hg, anning, old age homes, houses for disabled and destitutes, working women hostels, rainactivities which are important non-conventionalsustain the environment and miscellaneoustaking steps developfor social development.(iv) Resource Generation.-Provisions have been incorporated in the new Bill to streamline financial administration, improve finance base and change the tax mechanism keeping in view the needs of modern municipal administration. Provisions have also been made for a Cantonment Development Fund in which, any sum received from Government or an individual or association (by way of gift or deposit) or from centrally sponsored schemes, may be credited.The Standing Committee of Parliament (12th Lok Sabha) had also made a recommendation for extension of centrally sponsored development schemes in cantonments for uniform development of States. Provisions in clauses 10 and 108 of the Bill have therefore been made making every Board a "deemed municipality" for the purposes of article 243-P(e) of the Constitution. This would enable the Cantonment, Boards to avail benefits and advantages of centrally sponsored schemes for social and economic development as are presently available to other municipalities in various States.Under article 285 of the Constitution, the properties of Central Government are exempted from all taxes imposed by local authorities in the States. Representations were received that for the services rendered by the local bodies and the financial implications involved, some payment in the form of service charges may be made to them. Consequently, the Central Government issued certain executive orders making provision for payment of service charges to local bodies since 1954.There is no specific statutory provision to give legal backing to the said decision/orders made by the Government in this regard from time to time. It is, therefore, proposed to make a provision in the Bill for payments to be made to the Cantonment Boards for service charges by the Central and the State Governments, after ascertaining the same.4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.[13 th September, 2006]An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the administration of cantonments with a view to impart greater democratisation, improvement of their financial base to make provisions for developmental activities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.Be it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:-| Brought into force on 18.12.2006 vide S.R.O. 15(E), dated 18.12.2006 and published in the Gazette of India, Ext., Pt. II, Section 4, dated 18.12.2006. |
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