New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday gave away awards to personnel of the Defence Estates Department under the Ministry of Defence for their contribution in successful surveying the entire defence land inside and outside 62 cantonment areas across the country. Awards were given to 11 officers and 24 personnel of the organisation.
The Ministry of Defence is the largest landowner in the country. As per official data, the Ministry owns about 18 lakh acres of defence land, out of which about 1.61 lakh acres of land is situated within the 62 notified Cantonments, whereas about 16.38 lakh acres is spread across many pockets outside the Cantonments.
For the first time after independence, in a mammoth exercise, entire defence land has been surveyed in a span of three years by using the latest survey technology and in a large number of pockets in association with the Revenue authorities of various State Governments.
The survey has used modern survey technologies like Electronic Total Station (ETS) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). Drone imagery and Satellite imagery-based surveys were also used for time-bound outcomes. In rough terrains and hilly areas, 3D Modelling techniques were introduced for better visualisation of defence land by utilising Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in association with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
There are a total of 62 Cantonment Boards in the country. These are local bodies responsible for providing civic administration and implementing the Central Govt schemes of social welfare, public health, hygiene, safety, water supply, sanitation, urban renewal and education.
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