The central government has launched a National Survey of Enemy Properties across 20 states and union territories to identify and subsequently monetise properties of those who left India and adopted Chinese or Pakistani citizenship after wars with these countries. Enemy properties are those left behind by people who took citizenship of Pakistan and China after leaving India during the partition and post the 1962 and 1965 wars.
The Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) will be conducting the survey. Meanwhile, the Office of Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority under the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has identified 12,000 such properties in the country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs ordered the monetisation of enemy properties in 20202 that left India and went to Pakistan and China.
According to a report by the Hindustan times, there are 12,611 assets, or enemy property, across 20 states and three union territories of which 12,485 are related to Pakistani nationals and 126 belong to Chinese citizens. Most such properties are located in Uttar Pradesh (6,255) followed by West Bengal (4,088), Delhi (659), Goa (295), Maharashtra (208), Telangana (158), Gujarat (151), Tripura (105), Bihar (94), Madhya Pradesh (94), Chhattisgarh (78) and Haryana (71 properties).
There are 71 enemy properties in Kerala, 69 in Uttarakhand, 67 in Tamil Nadu, 57 in Meghalaya, 29 in Assam, 24 in Karnataka, 22 in Rajasthan, 10 in Jharkhand, four in Daman and Diu, and one each in Andhra Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Last month the government earned over ₹3,400 crore from the disposal of enemy properties, mostly movable assets like shares and gold.
“The Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) has realised a total of ₹3,407.98 crore from the disposal of enemy properties which include 7,52,83,287 shares (for ₹2,708.9 crore) of 152 companies in 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, and ₹699.08 crore as revenue receipts,” according to a statement by Home Ministry.
Besides, 1699.79 grams of vested gold has also been sold for ₹49,14,071 and 28.896 kilogram of silver ornaments have been disposed of for ₹10,92,175 in January 2021 through the Government of India Mint, Mumbai as per provisions of the Enemy Property Act.
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