New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called on Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officers to spearhead the transformation of Cantonment Boards into smart, green and sustainable urban ecosystems in alignment with the Government’s Viksit Bharat vision. He urged that this ambitious target be achieved by 2035.
Speaking at MANTHAN 2025, a two-day national conference organized by the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) in New Delhi, the Defence Minister praised IDES officers for managing over 18 lakh acres of defence land while also ensuring the welfare of civilians in 61 cantonments across India.
Rajnath Singh emphasized the need to modernize cantonments with efficient service delivery, greater transparency, and enhanced citizen participation. He highlighted the importance of expanding digital platforms like e-Chhawani 2.0, integrated with AI-driven grievance redressal, multilingual services, and smart healthcare solutions.
Future-ready cantonments, he said, must be equipped with smart power systems, renewable energy grids, EV charging hubs, waste-to-energy plants, and AI-based surveillance systems, ensuring improved Ease of Living for residents. Special focus, he added, must be given to the welfare of the poor, elderly, differently-abled, and special children.
He also underlined the need for financially independent Cantonment Boards, encouraging IDES officers to frame strategies for sustainable development with full government support.
The Defence Minister appreciated DGDE’s efforts in promoting Ease of Doing Business, including initiatives like E-Connect, which supports small businesses and startups. “At a time when greenery is declining, cantonments show us that development and environment can go hand in hand,” he remarked.
The event was attended by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, DGDE Shailendra Nath Gupta, and DGDE-designate Shobha Gupta, among others. The inaugural session showcased DGDE’s achievements in defence land governance, while subsequent sessions will focus on re-imagining land management through advanced digital technologies, governance reforms, and sustainability measures.
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