Cantonments to be Disbanded [UPSC Current Affairs]

The Union Government has kicked off a plan to carve out areas from 62 cantonment areas across the country into exclusive military stations. In this article, we discuss this development and its ramifications from the perspective of the IAS exam.

Cantonments to be Disbanded

• The Army and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) will have exclusive control over these military stations.
• The associated civilian areas will be merged with the local municipalities.
• The army had already moved away from the concept earlier by establishing 237 exclusive military stations.

Cantonments: A colonial legacy

• Army cantonments are a more than 250 years old colonial legacy in India.
• The first such cantonment was established at Barrackpore by the British.
• In 1947 there were 56 such establishments in the country which later became 62.
• These are governed under the Central Cantonment Act without any jurisdiction of the municipalities.

Why are cantonments being disbanded?

• The MoD says it has to secure, develop and maintain the 1.6L acres of land under cantonment areas.
• It wants to simplify land management and prevent encroachments.
• It also wants to avoid conflict in administration and governance with the civilian authorities.
• It will reduce the tussle and the budgets for the area will be optimally utilized.

Past moves and criticisms

• In 2018, the MoD had suggested this plan for the excision of civil areas of cantonments and converting military pockets into military stations.
• Similar moves raised widespread criticism of the politician-industrialist lobby eyeing the lucrative lands around major cities for business gains.
• However, the MoD has said that it will benefit the civilian areas from welfare schemes being run by the government through municipalities.

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