15.1.18

Govt to auction ₹1L cr worth ‘enemy’ assets

Over 9,400 ‘enemy’ properties, worth more than Rs.1 lakh crore, are set to be auctioned, with the home ministry starting the process of identifying all such estates, officials said.

The properties were left behind by people who took Pakistani and Chinese citizenship. The move came after the amendment of the 49-year-old Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, which ensured that the heirs of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during Partition and afterwards would have no claim over the properties left behind in India.

At a recent meeting, Union home minister Rajnath Singh was informed that the survey of 6,289 enemy properties had been completed and that of the remaining 2,991 properties which are vested with the custodian too would be completed. Singh directed that properties free from encumbrance should be disposed of quickly for monetisation. The estimated value of these 9,400 properties is around Rs.1 lakh crore and when they are sold, it would be a huge windfall for the government, an official said. Similar properties in Pakistan belonging to Indians have already been disposed of. Nodal officers are being appointed by state governments to coordinate identification, vesting and valuation of enemy properties, the official said. 

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