Singh was delivering a keynote address at 'MANTHAN 2025', a two-day national conference organised by the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE), on Thursday
The defence minister called upon the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) to work hard to modernise the Cantonment Boards
Singh appreciated IDES officers for successfully fulfilling the dual responsibility of managing over 18 lakh acres of defence land and ensuring the welfare of civilians residing in 61 cantonments pan-India
He also stressed the need to develop cantonments like modern cities by continuously upgrading systems and processes
"We must increase digital services so that people can avail transparent and timely services from home," he said

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