Defence Estates Department is the nodal agency for acquisition of land for Services and other Defence establishments i.e. Army, Navy, Air Force, DRDO and others. After 'in principle approval' is given by Ministry of Defence for a particular project involving acquisition of land, a Board of Officers is convened by the Local Military Authority (LMA) for formulating the proposal. The Board of Officers is advised by the Defence Estates Officer (DEO) on the cost of land & assets as well as Rehabilitation & Resettlement aspects. Ministry of Defence issues sanction for acquisition on the basis of the recommendations of the Defence Estates Department. On receipt of Govt. sanction, DEO places demand upon DC/Competent Authority for acquisition of land. He liaises with the Land Acquisition Collector/State Govt. to expedite publication of statutory Notifications under the relevant Land Acquisition Act. DEO is involved in the proceedings u/s 9 & 11 of these Acts and justifies the basis for the rates adopted by the Govt. in respect of the proposed acquisition. Draft award as prepared by the Collector is analysed and appropriate recommendations are made to the Govt. in this regard by DGDE. Any court case arising during the acquisition proceedings are defended by the DEO on behalf of the Govt to expedite land acquisition.
On declaration of Award under the relevant Act, the DEO deposits compensation amount with the Competent Authority, takes over the acquired land and hands it over to the User Service. DEO also makes necessary entries in the Military Lands Register (MLR) and Raksha Bhoomi database.
All litigations arising out of land acquistion is handled by the DEO on behalf of the Govt., from lowest to Apex Court. Payments on account of compensation as per the decree of the Courts at various stages are assessed and released by the DEOs after obtaining sanction of the Competent Authority.
Resettlement and Rehabilitation proposals for Project Affected Families are examined and processed by the DEO for Govt. sanction.
Functions and duties of Acquisition Division
- Policy making in respect of various aspects related to acquisition of land
- Advising Ministry of Defence on matters relating to land acquisition
- Monitoring of land acquisition projects
- Interacting with State Govts on land acquisition matters
- Examination and assessment of market value of land and assets being acquired
- Processing land acquisition and rehabilitation proposals for Govt approval
- Sanction /release of funds towards the land acquisition cost
- Examination of Charged Head expenditure proposals for obtaining sanction of MOD
- Defence of all court cases arising from land acquisition