AMN / NEW DELHI
Government is planning to auction over 9,400 enemy properties worth over 1 lakh crore rupees, with the home ministry starting the process of identifying all such estates.
The move comes after the amendment to the 49-year-old Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act. The change in the law ensured that the heirs of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during Partition and afterwards will have no claim over the properties left behind in India.
A Home Ministry official said that in a recent meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was informed that the survey of 6,289 enemy properties has been completed and that of the remaining 2,991 properties which are vested with the custodian will be completed.
The official said, Mr Singh directed that those properties which are free from encumbrance should be disposed of quickly for monetisation.
Among the 9,280 properties left behind by Pakistani nationals, the highest 4,991 properties are located in Uttar Pradesh followed by West Bengal which has 2,735 such estates.
There are 487 such properties in Delhi. Among the 126 properties left behind by Chinese nationals, the highest 57 are located in Meghalaya followed by West Bengal with 29. Assam has seven such properties.