Pune, 18th July 2023: The first phase of the merger of Cantonment Boards with local self-government bodies will not include the merger of the Pune Cantonment and Khadki Cantonment Boards with municipal bodies. As part of the initial phase, a total of 23 Cantonment Boards across the country are scheduled for integration, but the central government is yet to make a decision regarding the larger Cantonment Boards in terms of their size and jurisdiction.
Officials and employees of the Cantonment Board have recommended the merger of the Dehuroad Cantonment Board with the nearest municipal corporation (PCMC) in the first phase. Currently, a committee appointed by the Ministry of Defence is in discussions and examining the merger of Cantonment Boards with local self-government bodies.
The merger process will be conducted in a phased manner, starting with Cantonment Boards that have smaller areas. Among the 62 Cantonment Boards in the country, 23 have relatively smaller jurisdictions, consisting mainly of privately owned land and fewer army establishments. Therefore, it is considered more feasible to merge these smaller Cantonment Boards with local self-government bodies such as municipalities.
However, the committee appointed by the central government has not yet approached the Pune Cantonment and Khadki Cantonment Boards regarding their merger. The major Cantonment Boards, including Pune, Khadki, Lucknow, Delhi, Jabalpur, Mahu, Jalandhar, and Chennai, have not been contacted by the Defence Ministry Committee. Consequently, officials and employees of the Cantonment Board believe that the merger of these larger boards with municipal corporations is unlikely to occur at this stage.
The Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards encompass a significant number of military installations and possess substantial land and infrastructure. The merger of these boards could potentially impact the social rights of residents. Therefore, officials and employees argue that the merger of Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards is currently not feasible.
While the merger of smaller Cantonment Boards progresses in the first phase, the complexities associated with the merger of larger boards across the country continue to be examined by the relevant authorities.
