Lok Sabha Question No. 1591 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-27
Subject: New Cantonment Boards
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1591

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 th  November, 2019

## NEW CANTONMENT BOARDS

## 1591. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to set up new cantonment boards in the coming years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of all cantonment boards currently in the country;
- (c) the details of the composition and key functions of the Cantonment Boards;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that the development of many cantonment boards is held up due to Floor Space Index (FSI) norms; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the steps being taken to resolve the issue?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

| MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE रक्षा राज्य मंत्री   | (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK) ( श्री श्रीपाद नाईक )   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|

(a) No, Sir.

: 2 :

- (b) There are 62 Cantonments in the country located in 19 States/Union Territories and falling within the territorial jurisdiction of 05 Army Commands as under:

Central Command     - 25

Southern Command  - 19

Western Command    - 13

Northern Command   - 01

Eastern Command     - 04

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

## Total                       - 62

(South Western Command has no Cantonment in its jurisdiction) Details of state-wise list of names  of  these

Cantonment  Boards  is  enclosed  as Annexure- 'A'

- (c)  Composition of Cantonment Boards has been described in Sub-Section (3), (4), (5) and (6) of Section 12 of the Cantonments Act, 2006 and Cantonments are categorized as Category I, II, III & IV on the basis of total population. Extracts of these Sections are enclosed as Annexure-'B'

The duties and discretionary functions of Cantonment Boards are provided under Section 62 and Section 64 of the Cantonment Act, 2006. Extracts of these Sections are enclosed as Annexure 'C'

- (d) & (e): The matter was referred to an expert committee for its recommendations. The committee  has submitted its report  alongwith  recommendations  which  are  under examination in the Ministry.

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## ANNEXURE-A  REFERRED  IN  THE  REPLY  GIVEN  IN  PART  (b)  OF  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1591 FOR ANSWER ON 27.11.2019

| Name of Cantonment Boards with States   | Name of Cantonment Boards with States   | Name of Cantonment Boards with States   |
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                 | Name of Cantt Board                     | Name of State                           |
| (i)                                     | (ii)                                    | (iii)                                   |
| 1                                       | Secunderabad                            | Andhra Pradesh                          |
| 2                                       | Danapur                                 | Bihar                                   |
| 3                                       | Delhi                                   | Delhi                                   |
| 4                                       | Ahmedabad                               | Gujarat                                 |
| 5                                       | Ambala                                  | Haryana                                 |
| 6                                       | Bakloh                                  | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 7                                       | Dagshai                                 | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 8                                       | Dalhousie                               | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 9                                       | Jutogh                                  | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 10                                      | Kasauli                                 | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 11                                      | Khasyol                                 | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 12                                      | Subathu                                 | Himachal Pradesh                        |
| 13                                      | Badamibagh                              | Jammu& Kashmir                          |
| 14                                      | Jammu                                   | Jammu& Kashmir                          |
| 15                                      | Ramgarh                                 | Jharkhand                               |
| 16                                      | Belgaum                                 | Karnataka                               |
| 17                                      | Cannanore                               | Kerala                                  |
| 18                                      | Jabalpur                                | Madhya Pradesh                          |
| 19                                      | Mhow                                    | Madhya Pradesh                          |
| 20                                      | Pachmarhi                               | Madhya Pradesh                          |
| 21                                      | Morar                                   | Madhya Pradesh                          |
| 22                                      | Saugor                                  | Madhya Pradesh                          |
| 23                                      | Ahmednagar                              | Maharashtra                             |
| 24                                      | Aurangabad                              | Maharashtra                             |
| 25                                      | Dehuraod                                | Maharashtra                             |
| 26                                      | Deolali                                 | Maharashtra                             |
| 27                                      | Kamptee                                 | Maharashtra                             |
| 28                                      | Khadki                                  | Maharashtra                             |
| 29                                      | Pune                                    | Maharashtra                             |

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|   30 | Shillong        | Meghalaya     |
|------|-----------------|---------------|
|   31 | Amritsar        | Punjab        |
|   32 | Ferozepur       | Punjab        |
|   33 | Jalandhar       | Punjab        |
|   34 | Ajmer           | Rajasthan     |
|   35 | Nasirabad       | Rajasthan     |
|   36 | St.Thomas Mount | Tamil Nadu    |
|   37 | Wellington      | Tamil Nadu    |
|   38 | Agra            | Uttar Pradesh |
|   39 | Allahabad       | Uttar Pradesh |
|   40 | Bareilly        | Uttar Pradesh |
|   41 | Faizabad        | Uttar Pradesh |
|   42 | Fatehgarh       | Uttar Pradesh |
|   43 | Kanpur          | Uttar Pradesh |
|   44 | Lucknow         | Uttar Pradesh |
|   45 | Mathura         | Uttar Pradesh |
|   46 | Meerut          | Uttar Pradesh |
|   47 | Shahjahanpur    | Uttar Pradesh |
|   48 | Varanasi        | Uttar Pradesh |
|   49 | Babina          | Uttar Pradesh |
|   50 | Jhansi          | Uttar Pradesh |
|   51 | Almora          | Uttara Khand  |
|   52 | Chakrata        | Uttara Khand  |
|   53 | Clement Town    | Uttara Khand  |
|   54 | Dehradun        | Uttara Khand  |
|   55 | Landour         | Uttara Khand  |
|   56 | Lansdowne       | Uttara Khand  |
|   57 | Nainital        | Uttara Khand  |
|   58 | Ranikhet        | Uttara Khand  |
|   59 | Roorkee         | Uttara Khand  |
|   60 | Barrackpore     | West Bengal   |
|   61 | Jalapahar       | West Bengal   |
|   62 | Lebong          | West Bengal   |

## ANNEXURE-B  REFERRED  IN  THE  REPLY  GIVEN  IN  PART  (c)  OF  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1591 FOR ANSWER ON 27.11.2019

12. Constitution of Cantonment Boards. -  (1) Cantonments shall be divided into four categories, namely:-

- (i) Category I Cantonments, in which the population exceeds fifty thousand;
- (ii) Category  II  Cantonments,  in  which  the  population  exceeds  ten  thousand, but does not exceed fifty thousand;
- (iii) Category III Cantonments, in which the population exceeds two thousand five hundred, but does not exceed ten thousand; and
- (iv) Category  IV  Cantonments,  in  which  the  population  does  not  exceed  two thousand five hundred.
- (2) For  the purposes  of  sub-section  (1), the population  shall be  calculated in accordance with the latest official census, or, if the Central Government, by general or special order, so directs, in accordance with a special census take for the purpose.
- (3) In  Category  I  Cantonments,  the  Board  shall  consist  of  the  following  members, namely:-
- (a) the  Officer  Commanding  the  station  as ex officio or, if  the  Central Government  so  directs  in  respect  of  any  cantonment,  such  other  military officer as may  be nominated in his place by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command;
- (b) the  District  Magistrate  or  an  Executive  Magistrate  not  below  the  rank  of Additional District Magistrate nominated by him;
- (c) the Chief Executive Officer;
- (d) the Health Officer ex officio ;
- (e) the Executive Engineer ex officio;
- (f) three military officers nominated by name by the Officer Commanding the station by order in writing;
- (g) eight members elected under this Act.

: 2 :

(4) In  Category  II  Cantonments,  the  Board  shall  consist  of  the  following  members, namely:-

- (a) the  Officer    Commanding  the  station  as ex  officio or,  if  the  Central Government  so  directs  in  respect  of  any  cantonment,  such  other  military officer as may  be nominated in his place by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command;
- (b) the  District  Magistrate  or  an  Executive  magistrate  not  below  the  rank  of Additional District Magistrate nominated by him;
- (c) the Chief Executive Officer;
- (d) the Health Officer ex officio;
- (e) the Executive Engineer ex officio;
- (f) two military officers nominated by name by the Officer Commanding the station by order in writing;
- (g) seven members elected under this Act.

(5) In Category III Cantonments, the Board shall consist of the following members, namely:-

- (a) the  Officer  Commanding  the  station  as  ex  officio  or,  if  the  Central Government  so  directs  in  respect  of  any  cantonment,  such  other  military officer, as  may  be nominated  in his place by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command;
- (b) the District Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate nominated by him;
- (c) the Chief Executive Officer;
- (d) the Health Officer ex official;
- (e) the Executive Engineer ex officio;
- (f) one  military  officer  nominated  by  name  by  the  Officer  Commanding  the station by order in writing;
- (g) six members elected under this Act.

: 3 :

(6) In Category IV Cantonments, the Board shall consist of the following members, namely:-

- (a) the Officer Commanding the station ex officio or, if the Central Government so directs in respect of any cantonment, such other military officer as may be  nominated  in  his  place  by  the  General  Officer  Commanding-in-Chief, the Command;
- (b) the Chief Executive Officer;
- (c) two members elected under this Act.

(7) The Officer Commanding the station may, if he thinks fit, with the sanction of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command, nominate in place of any military officer whom he is empowered to nominate under clause (f) of sub-section (3), clause (f) of sub-section (4) or clause (f) of sub-section (5), any person, whether in the service of the  Government or not,  who  is  ordinarily  resident  in  the  cantonment  or  in  the  vicinity thereof.

(8) Every election or nomination of a member of a Board and every vacancy in the elected membership thereof shall be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette;

(9) The  Member  of  Parliament  and  Member  of  Legislative  Assembly  representing constituencies  which  comprises  wholly  or  partly  the  cantonment  area,  shall  be  special invitees for the meetings of the Board but without a right to vote.

## COMMENTS

Cantonments  are  to  be  divided  into  four  categories,  namely  (a)  Category  I Cantonments, in which the population exceeds fifty thousand; (b) Category II Cantonments, in which the population exceeds ten thousand, but does not exceed fifty thousand; (c) Category III Cantonments, in which the population exceeds two thousand five  hundred,  but  does  not  exceed  ten  thousand;  and  (d)  Category  IV  Cantonments,  in which the population does not exceed two thousand five hundred.

*****

## ANNEXURE-C  REFERRED  IN  THE  REPLY  GIVEN  IN  PART  (c)  OF  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1591 FOR ANSWER ON 27.11.2019

- 62 Duties of Board.It shall be the duty of every board, so far as the funds at its disposal permit, to make responsible provision within the cantonment for-
- (i) lighting streets and other public places;
- (ii) watering streets and other public places;
- (iii) cleansing  streets,  public  places  and  drains,  abating  nuisances  and removing noxious vegetation;
- (iv) regulating  offensive,  dangerous  or  obnoxious  trades,  callings  and practices;
- (v) removing,  on  the  ground  of  public  safety,  health  or  convenience, undesirable obstructions and projections in  streets and other public places,
- (vi) securing or removing dangerous buildings and places;
- (vii) acquiring, maintaining,  changing  and  regulating  places  for the disposal of the dead.
- (viii) constructing,  altering and  maintaining  streets,  culverts, bridges, causeways, markets, slaughter-houses, latrines, privies, urinal, drains, drainage works and sewerage works and regulating their use;
- (ix) planting and maintaining trees on roadsides and other public places;
- (x) providing  or  arranging  for  a  sufficient  supply  of  potable  water, where  such  supply  does  not  exist,  guarding  from  pollution  water used  for  human  consumption,  and  preventing  polluted  water  from being so used;
- (xi) registering births and deaths;
- (xii) preventing and checking spread of dangerous diseases; establishing and maintaining a system of public vaccination and inoculation for the said objective;

- (xiii) establishing and maintaining or supporting public hospitals, maternity and child welfare centers and dispensaries, and providing public medical relief;
- (xiv) establishing and maintaining or assisting primary schools;
- (xv) rendering assistance in extinguishing fires, and protecting light and property when fires occur;
- (xvi) maintaining  and  developing  the  value  of  property  vested  in,  or entrusted to, the management of the board;
- (xvii)  establishing and maintaining civil defence services;
- (xviii) preparing and implementing town planning schemes;
- (xix) preparing  and  implementing  plans  for  economic  development  and social justice;
- (xx) naming and numbering of streets and premises;
- (xxi) according or refusing permission to erect or re-erect building;
- (xxii)  organising, promoting or supporting cultural and sports activities;
- (xxiii) celebrating  Independence  Day  and  Republic  Day  and  incurring expenditure thereon;
- (xxiv) fulfilling any other obligation imposed upon it by or under this act or any other law for the time being in force.
64. Discretionary functions of Board (1)  A Board may, within the Cantonment, make provision for-
- (i) laying  out  in  areas,  whether  previously  built  upon  or  not,  new streets, and acquiring land for that purpose and for the construction of buildings, and compounds of buildings, to abut on such streets;
- (ii) constructing,  establishing  or  maintaining  public  parks,  gardens, offices, diaries, bathing or washing places, drinking fountains, tanks, wells and other works of public utility;
- (iii) reclaiming unhealthy localities;

- (iv) furthering educational objects by measures other than the establishment and maintenance of primary schools;
- (v) setting  up  or  supporting  higher  schools,  colleges  and  vocational, professional and special education;
- (vi) constructing, and maintaining works and structures, including rainwater  harvesting,  for  providing  supply  of  water  for  public  and private purposes;
- (vii) constituting,  maintaining  and  managing  supply  and  distribution  of electricity, including by exploiting non-conventional energy sources, to public and private premises;
- (viii) taking  a  census  and  granting  rewards  for  information  which  may tend to secure the correct registration of vital statistics;
- (ix) making a survey;
- (x) giving relief on the occurrence of local epidemics, floods, famines or other natural calamities by the establishment or maintenance of relief work or otherwise;
- (xi) securing or assisting to secure suitable places for the carrying on of any offensive dangerous or obnoxious trade, calling or occupation;
- (xii) establishing and maintaining a farm or other place for the disposal of sewage;
- (xiii) constructing, subsidising or guaranteeing tramways or other means of locomotion, and electric lighting or electric power work;
- (xiv) establishing and maintaining cattle pounds;
- (xv) arranging  for  civic  reception  with  prior  approval  of  the  Officer Commanding the Station;
- (xvi) providing housing accommodation for any class of inhabitants;
- (xvii)  conservation and maintenance of ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites and remains or place of public importance in the Cantonment;

(xviii) developing land resources under the management of the Board;

- (xix) preparing and implementing group housing schemes;
- (xx) establishing and undertaking remunerative projects;
- (xxi) developing small-scale and cottage industries;
- (xxii)  developing expertise in different areas of urban governance and local self-government to and able to provide consultancy to other Municipal and Development Authorities;
- (xxiii) adopting any measure, other than a measure specified in section 62 or  in  the  foregoing  provisions  of  this  section  likely  to  promote  the safety, health or convenience of the inhabitants of the cantonment;
- (xxiv) establishing  and  maintaining  or  supporting  libraries,  museums,  art galleries, botanical or zoological collections;
- (xxv)  establishing and maintaining or supporting stadia, gymnasia, akharas and places for sports and games;
- (xxvi) establishing theatres and cinemas;

(xxvii) organising and managing fairs and exhibitions;

(xxviii) constructing and maintaining:-

- (a) rest-houses;
- (b) poor-houses;
- (c) infirmaries;
- (d) children's home;
- (e) houses for deaf and dumb and for disabled and handicapped children;
- (f) shelter for destitute and disabled persons;
- (g) asylums for persons of unsound mind;
- (h) old age homes;
- (i) working women's hostels;

- (xxix) establishing  and  managing  chemical  or  bacteriological  laboratories for  the  examination  or  analysis  of  water,  food  and  drugs  for  the detection of diseases or research connected with the public health or medical relief;
- (xxx)  providing relief to destitute and disabled persons;
- (xxxi) establishing and maintaining veterinary hospitals;
- (xxxii)constructing and maintaining warehouses and godowns;
- (xxxii)  constructing  and  managing garages, sheds and stands for vehicles and cattle sheds;

(xxxiv) constructing and managing community halls and convention halls;

- (xxxv) holding  seminars,  workshops,  public  debates,  and  similar  activities particularly on issues and rules and regulations of civic importance;

Explanation - For the purposes of clause (xvii)-

- (a) ''conservation'' means the supervision, management and maintenance of a place to retain  its historical, architectural, aesthetic  or cultural significance or of environment and includes the protection, improvement, preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adoption or a combination of more than one of these activities, and the use of such  place  in  a  way  that  ensures  the  social  as  well  as  economic benefits;
- (b) ''ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites and remains or place of public importance '' including building, artefacts, structures, areas, or precincts of historical or aesthetical or education or  scientific  or  cultural  or  environment  significance,  and  those natural  features  of  environment  significance  or  scenic  beauty,  as may be declare be the Board.

(2) A Board may, either within or outside the cantonment, make provision for the doing of anything on which expenditure is declared by the Central Government, or by the Board with the sanction of the Central Government, to be an appropriate charge on the cantonment fund or the cantonment development fund.

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