BJP State General Secretary Pawan Khajuria, while addressing a public meeting in Garhi mandal of Udhampur district, said that the party is continuously pursuing the cases of the people related to the enhancement of rent for the land being used by army for the last more than 40 years. He said that the other demand of the people for final solution of one time settlement of the cases is also being taken up with the Defence Ministry by party as well as MPs.
Pawan Khajuria said that the army needs land to be used for various purposes and it was in this context that it took some land belonging to the local people of Garhi on rent basis four decades ago but with the passage of time the rent has not been enhanced despite the fact that the cost of living has increased manifold during all these years and hence it becomes imperative on part of the Defence Ministry to make reasonable enhancement in the rent. He said that a permanent solution also lies in onetime payment to the land owners after assessing the local price of the land.
Pawan Khajuria said that the BJP has made its stand very clear that any department of the government, which acquires or takes on rent any private land / building, it should regularly pay the dues, make enhancement from time to time and find a permanent solution so that the land owners are in a position to invest the compensation in some other work to earn livelihood. He said that this issue has already been raised with Defence Minister, who has assured that his ministry will soon take a positive approach and issue necessary directions to meet the long pending an genuine demands of the people of Garhi.
