When it is sufficiently shown to the Governor and Secretary of State that any tax-forfeited or escheated lands owned by the state, whether within or without the corporate limits of any municipality if located within ten (10) miles thereof, are needed by any municipality in connection with any national defense project which such municipality is sponsoring, the Secretary of State with the approval of the Governor is hereby authorized to sell on an acreage basis any such lands so owned by the state to any municipality, without limit as to quantity or manner in which such land is subdivided, for such price as the Secretary of State with the approval of the Governor may fix. Provided, however, that the minimum price for such land shall be One Dollar ($1.00) per acre. The conveyance of such lands by the state shall be by patent executed by the Secretary of State under the seal of the land office, which patent shall contain all of the lands sold, and such patent shall convey to the municipality a fee simple title to the lands therein described.

In the event the price for which such land is sold is not sufficient to pay the fees and costs allowed to the county tax collector and chancery clerk, as in cases of the redemption of lands for tax sales, under the provisions of Section 25-7-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, the Secretary of State shall apportion the purchase money derived from the sale of such lands hereunder between the county tax collector and chancery clerk upon the basis of the amount of fees due each of them, and the sum thus allotted shall be paid in the manner provided in Section 29-1-95, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be in full settlement of all fees due such officers.

Municipalities buying lands hereunder shall not be required to file the application required by Section 29-1-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, and such application as the municipality may file to purchase land hereunder may be promptly acted upon by the Governor and Secretary of State.