UP Cabinet Meeting: Transfer of 65 acres cleared for regional NSG centre in Ayodhya

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chairs the Cabinet meeting in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Express Photo)

The cabinet on Tuesday approved the transfer of free land to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the establishment of a Regional Centre of the National Security Guard (NSG) in Ayodhya. The market value of the said land has been stated to be around Rs 16.9 crore.

The NSG centre is being set up to strengthen the security arrangements of Ayodhya Dham–Ram Temple, a government official informed. In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the approval has been given to the proposal to transfer 26 hectares (or 65 acres) of barren land in Milkipur tehsil of Ayodhya to the MHA.

The centre is being set up with a purpose of helping in dealing with any potential security challenge in Ayodhya and further strengthen the rapid response capability in any emergency situation, the government informed.

Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna said that after the construction of the Ram Temple and its consecration ceremony, Ayodhya has emerged at the national and international level as a major cultural, religious and strategic centre. A large number of devotees, distinguished guests and tourists from the country and abroad are continuously visiting there. In such a situation, the security sensitivity of the area has also increased considerably.

Keeping this in view, the minister said, permanent deployment of an NSG in Ayodhya through this regional centre has become necessary.

Khanna said the land being transferred will be used only for the establishment of the NSG Regional Centre. Its use for any other purpose will be completely prohibited. With regard to the allotment of land, an exception has been made by relaxing the provisions prescribed in the Government Order of the Revenue Department, keeping in view the special security sensitivity of Ayodhya and the paramount importance of national security.

The minister clarified that if the allotted land is not used for the proposed purpose within a period of the next three years, or if its requirement ceases in the future, the land will automatically revert to the disposal of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Department. “The NSG Regional Hub in Ayodhya will strengthen the security arrangements of the Ram Temple premises,” he said.