INVC,,
Delhi,,
M M Pallam Raju, Raksha Rajya Mantri, inaugurated the Archival Unit & Resource Center (AU&RC) of Defence Estates Department on 15.06.2012. Located in the premises of Raksha Sampada Bhawan, the Headquarters of the Directorate General Defence Estates, AU&RC is a central facility created for preservation and back up of documents related to defence land records and their accessibility to all user organizations. These documents will be preserved in the AU&RC in 3 forms namely, digital, paper and microfilms having a life span of about 500 years. An e kiosk has also been provided for easy user interface.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Pallam Raju lauded the efforts made by the Department under the able leadership of its Director General, Shri Ashok Kumar Harnal for conceptualisation and implementation of the project AU&RC within a record time of one year, which also included construction of the building, without any time and cost over-run. The RRM stressed upon the importance of safe-keeping of defence land records in view of the ever-increasing threat to precious defence land. He observed recent controversies involving defence land in the country has made the Defence Estates Department tougher and more keen to deliver.
The RRM also hoped that AU&RC of Defence Estates will become a focal point of research regarding the decisions of the British era taken in respect of Cantonment Administration and defence land management. He said that this is only s beginning of a new dawn in safe keeping of defence land records.
During the inaugural function a new compilation of Raksha Bhoomi MLR Data – a data base of defence land – was released by Shri Pallam Raju. He also released a VPN based software for sanction of payment in respect of hired and requisitioned land and buildings in Jammu & Kashmir. This software has been designed by the Defence Estates Department as an in-house endeavour, to ensure timely payment of rentals to the owners in a transparent manner.
The Director General Defence Estates, Shri Ashok Kumar Harnal, thanked the RRM and the Ministry of Defence for providing constant support and financial wherewithal for ensuring the implementation of directions of Raksha Mantri Shri A K Antony to maintain, safeguard and up-date defence land records by leveraging latest technology.
Shri A K Bishnoi, Additional Secretary in Ministry of Defence was also present on the occasion.
It has been a long pending requirement for the Service.A great leap in the land administration by the Service!My hearty Congratulations to the officers of the Service who made this a realty.