<h1>Defence minister calls to modernise Cantonment Boards into smart, green, sustainable urban ecosystems with digital services and transparency</h1> A defence minister urged modernisation of Cantonment Boards into smart, green, sustainable urban ecosystems, directing the defence estates service to upgrade systems, processes and digital service delivery. The minister highlighted the dual statutory responsibilities of managing extensive defence land and ensuring civilian welfare across cantonments, and called for increased citizen participation, transparency, accountability and timely grievance redressal. The address emphasised legal and administrative reforms to enable efficient civic amenities, digital access to services, and institutional capacity-building to meet contemporary urban governance standards within cantonment jurisdictions.