BENGALURU: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday directed the defence establishments in the city to handover required land to the Government of Karnataka for completion of various infrastructure projects held up due to the delay in transfer of such lands.
Talking to newsmen after a detailed discussion with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other officials from both the Armed forces and the State Government she said that the authorities have been asked not to wait till the land of equal value to those surrendered by the Defence was provided by the State Government she said sensing the urgency she had sought the officials to transfer the land so that people do not suffer further.
As many as ten projects were involved. The state cabinet needs to pass a resolution on transfer of alternate land in lieu of the area to be surrendered by the Defence Ministry.
She said that the meeting held today was a follow up to the one held recently in New Delhi when Mr Kumaraswamy met her and sought a release of and to complete projects had have been held up for several years for want of approval from the defence ministry to release land held by it.
While around 45,165.84 square meters of land valued at Rs 282.09 crore was being transferred in relation to eight projects in another two projects requiring 10,654 square metre permission would be accorded to use the defence land on the licensing basis.
Mr Kumaraswamy, while thanking Ms Sitharaman for resolving the issue, said the discussions were ''conducive and positive.''