Singh praised IDES officers for shouldering a dual responsibility, managing over 18 lakh acres of defence land and administering civilian welfare in 61 cantonments across India

He urged modernisation in systems and processes, calling for improved digital service delivery, greater citizen participation, and enhanced transparency and accountability in cantonment governance

Rajnath Singh also pushed for financial independence for both IDES and Cantonment Boards, encouraging them to draft frameworks to realise this transformation

Prominent officials present included Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Shailendra Nath Gupta, and Shobha Gupta

The conference also features debates by key policy figures on land governance, sustainability and defence sector innovation in line with Viksit Bharat