Defence Estates Department Enters Centenary Year, Rajnath Singh to Lead Celebrations

The Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), responsible for managing the largest landholding under India's Ministry of Defence, marked its centenary year with Defence Estates Day celebrations on December 16, 2025, at Raksha Sampada Bhawan in Delhi Cantonment. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the event, conferring the Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence to recognise outstanding contributions in defence land management and municipal administration across 61 cantonment boards nationwide.

The department's formal establishment dates to December 16, 1926, when it was created as the Department of Land and Cantonments, exactly 100 years prior to the celebrations. Its legacy, however, traces back to 1765 with the founding of India's first cantonment in Barrackpore, West Bengal, followed by others such as Danapur (1766), Meerut (1803), Ambala (1843), and Delhi (1915), forming the bedrock of organised defence land administration.

Under the Directorate General Defence Estates, the organisation oversees vast defence lands and civic governance in cantonments, ensuring efficient management and support for armed forces requirements. Recent initiatives highlight its modernisation drive, including the digitisation of legacy land records and the launch of 'Raksha Bhoomi', a centralised secure platform serving as a unified repository for all defence land documents.

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Advanced surveying techniques, incorporating Continuously Operating Reference Stations-enabled Differential Global Positioning System, Geographic Information System tools, and high-resolution satellite imagery, have enhanced accuracy in land management. A dedicated Centre of Excellence leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning, and unmanned remote vehicles to develop cutting-edge solutions.

The e-Chhawani project has further transformed services by providing fully online municipal facilities to approximately 20 lakh cantonment residents, earning national recognition, including awards for water conservation efforts.

As the department enters its second century, the centenary celebrations underscore its pivotal role in national defence infrastructure, blending historical stewardship with technological innovation to meet contemporary challenges.

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