Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh attend DGDE’s MANTHAN 2025 conference in New Delhi. PIC/ PTI
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
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