Rajnath Singh said officials at defence cantonments must help the economically weak
Most people living at defence cantonments are economically weal and cantonment boards should ensure that they do not feel intimidated in any way due to the behaviour of the board officers, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
Public services such as health, sanitation and primary education at defence cantonments are provided by the cantonment board, which is a civic administration body under the Ministry of Defence.
"I was telling Army chief General Bipin Rawat that most people living in cantonments are extremely poor. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to appeal that you must ensure that because of your behaviour, they should not feel scared," Mr Singh said after giving away the "Awards for Excellence 2019" to cantonment boards.
He said such people should have the trust that if they go to an officer in a cantonment area, they would be given protection.
"It is my experience...that a poor man's cry is the worst. God has given you this responsibility. It is not to rule over them (poor people), it is to serve them. This precaution must be taken," Mr Singh said.
The cantonment boards work under the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE). Deepa Bajwa is the Director General of Defence Estates.
"Not only the DGDE, but it is also the responsibility of the officials below it that they should go to the cantonments and listen to people's problems. At a local level, people's problems are heard, but those should be heard at this (senior officials') level too. This is my expectation," Mr Singh said.
"Your department (DGDE) is doing the important work of managing defence land with an area of more than 17 lakh acres, catering to the land requirements of the three wings of the armed forces and providing civil and municipal services to over 20 lakh residents of 62 cantonment areas of the country," the Defence Minister said.