Centre allows state governments to put enemy properties to Public Use

Centre allowed state governments to put enemy properties to “Public Use “

Question: Centre allowed state governments to put enemy properties to Public Use under which of the following act?
(a) The guidelines for disposal of the Enemy Property Order, 2018
(b) Enemy Property Order, 2016
(c) Disposal of the Enemy Property Order, 2017
(d) None of the above
Answer :(a)
Related facts:

  • The Centre has allowed State Governments to take some enemy properties for public use.
  • The guidelines for disposal of the Enemy Property Order, 2018 has been amended to facilitate “usages of enemy property by the State Government exclusively for public use”.
  • When wars broke out between India and China in 1962, and India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the central government took over properties of citizens of China and Pakistan in India under the Defence of India Acts.
  • These Acts defined an ‘enemy’ as a country that committed an act of aggression against India, and its citizens.
  • The properties of enemies in India were classified as enemy property.
  • The properties included land, buildings, shares held in companies, gold and jewellery of the citizens of enemy countries.
  • The responsibility of the administration of enemy properties was handed over to the Custodian of Enemy Property, an office under the central government.
  • Of the total properties left behind by those who took Pakistani citizenship, 4,991 are located in Uttar Pradesh, the highest in the country. West Bengal has 2,735 such estates and Delhi 487.
  • The highest number of properties left by Chinese nationals is in Meghalaya (57).West Bengal has 29 such properties and Assam seven.
  • The estimated value of all enemy properties is approximately Rs 1 lakh Crore.
  • The Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968 and which regulates such properties and lists the custodian’s powers.
  • The act was amended in 2017 to ensure that the successors of those who migrated to Pakistan and China will have no claim over the properties left behind in India.

Links:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/centre-allows-state-governments-to-put-enemy-properties-to-public-use/articleshow/68355838.cms
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/india/home-min-allows-states-to-use-9-400-enemy-properties.html