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Rajnath Singh to Kick Off Defence Estates Day: A 100-Year Legacy of Land Management

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to inaugurate the Defence Estates Day celebrations in Delhi. This year is extra special as it marks the department's 100th anniversary, with a history going all the way back to 1765. He'll be handing out awards for outstanding work in managing defence lands and cantonments across the country. The department has really stepped into the modern era, using cool tech like digital platforms and AI to manage its huge plots of land.

Key Points: Rajnath Singh Presides Over Defence Estates Day Centenary Celebrations

  • Rajnath Singh will present Raksha Mantri Awards for excellence in cantonment board administration
  • The department marks its 100th year, with origins tracing back to the 1765 Barrackpore cantonment
  • It manages the largest landholding under the Govt of India, modernizing with digital tools like E-Chhawani
  • Initiatives include digitized land records, a central 'Raksha Bhoomi' platform, and AI for land survey
2 min read

Rajnath Singh to kick off Defence Estates Day celebrations tomorrow

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to launch 100th-year celebrations, confer awards, and highlight tech-driven transformation of India's defence land management.

"The Department has undertaken an exceptional modernisation journey, transforming itself into a pioneer in digital and tech-enabled land management. - Official Statement"

New Delhi, Dec 15

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to share his views on digital and tech-enabled land management when he presides over the Defence Estates Day Celebrations at Delhi Cantonment on December 16, an official said.

He will confer the Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence in public service in the field of Defence Land Management and Municipal Administration of 61 Cantonment Boards spread across the country, said a statement on Monday.

This year’s celebrations, to be held at Raksha Sampada Bhawan, hold special significance as the Department steps into its 100th year, commemorating a legacy that traces its origins to 1765, when the first Cantonment was established in Barrackpore, West Bengal.

Over the subsequent century and a half, cantonments such as Danapur (1766), Meerut (1803), Ambala (1843), and Delhi (1915) followed, laying the foundation of Defence and Land Administration in India. The Department was later formalised on December 16, 1926, as the Department of Land and Cantonments under the Ministry of Defence.

The Defence Estates Department today manages the largest landholding of the Government of India under the Ministry of Defence. While steeped in history, the Department has undertaken an exceptional modernisation journey, transforming itself into a pioneer in digital and tech-enabled land management.

The Department has successfully implemented the E-Chhawani project by providing 100 per cent municipal services online to 20 lakh Cantonment residents.

The Department’s efforts towards water conservation and rejuvenation of water bodies have been acknowledged at the highest level, as it received the National Water Awards for Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari.

The Department has undertaken complete digitisation of legacy land records, ensuring their preservation for the future.

The Entire File Management system has been modernised with Nationwide adoption of a secure, technology-backed file management system, enabling seamless retrieval and safe archival.

A centralised software platform ‘Raksha Bhoomi’, hosted on secure servers, now serves as the unified repository of all defence land records.

The Department has developed core competency in Land Survey with extensive adoption of Continuously Operating Reference Stations-enabled Differential Global Positioning System, Geographic Information System-based tools, and high-resolution satellite imagery to strengthen accuracy.

A Centre of Excellence on Satellite and Unmanned Remote Vehicle Initiative, leveraging Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and emerging technologies to build next-generation solutions for defence land management.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
A 100-year legacy is impressive. My grandfather served in the Army and we lived in a cantonment. It's heartening to see the same places now leading in tech like AI/ML for land management. A respectful salute to the journey.
A
Aman W
While digitisation is good, I hope the focus on awards doesn't overshadow the ground reality for many living in cantonments. Basic civic issues still need attention in some areas. The tech should translate to better daily life.
S
Sarah B
The water conservation award is the most commendable part for me. In a country facing water stress, every department taking such initiatives seriously is crucial. Well done on that front.
V
Vikram M
'Raksha Bhoomi' as a centralised software is a smart move. Managing the largest landholding for the government is no joke. Using CORS-enabled DGPS and GIS shows serious technical upgrade. Thumbs up!
K
Kiran H
Barrackpore 1765 to AI/ML in 2024! What a transformation. Preserving legacy records digitally is so important for our history. Hope the celebrations honour the countless unsung staff who maintained these estates over the centuries.

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