Kolkata

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that the Centre is set to make the West Bengal government the custodian of all "enemy properties" located in the state.

Enemy property refers to movable and immovable assets, including lands, buildings, shares and gold deposited in banks, left behind by people who migrated to and took citizenship of countries regarded as India's enemies.

Adhikari, who made the announcement while inaugurating a Durga Puja at Lalbagh in Murshidabad district on Thursday, said the state government aims to use the revenue generated from these properties to fund local development projects.

"The move has received the nod of the Ministry of Home Affairs headed by Amit Shah, following discussions during the recent BIMSTEC home ministers' meeting in New Delhi," he said.

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West Bengal has the second-largest number of enemy properties in India (around 4,000), spread across Murshidabad, Malda, Kolkata, and North and South 24 Parganas districts, sources said.