E-Chhawani portal: Residents of 62 Cantonment Boards can complain here

Defence minister Rajnath Singh launched E-Chhawani portal and mobile app in New Delhi on 16 February 2021. The portal (https://echhawani.gov.in/) has been created to provide online civic services to over 20 lakh residents of 62 Cantonment Boards across the country.

Through the portal, the residents of cantonment areas will be able to avail basic services like the renewal of leases, application for birth and death certificates, water and sewerage connections, trade licences, mobile toilet locators, and payment of different types of taxes and fees. The portal, jointly developed by eGov Foundation, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), and National Informatics Centre (NIC), provides a platform to the residents to avail these services from the comfort of their home.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister reiterated the government's commitment to the socio-economic development of the country by providing maximum facilities to the people and making the administration efficient and transparent. He said the government is striving to make the system citizen-friendly and provide services that facilitate 'ease of living' and 'ease of doing' for the people. Initiatives like 'Minimum Government - Maximum Governance', Digital India, and E-Governance were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote good governance and ease of living for the people, he said, adding that the launch of the E-Chhawani portal is a big step in that direction.

Mr. Singh described the E-Chhawani portal as an innovative effort to transform the functioning of Cantonment Boards, in line with the vision of 'New India'. He expressed confidence that the portal will ensure effectiveness and transparency of the services distribution system of the Cantonment Boards and provide time-bound solutions to the residents. He asked the concerned officers to periodically gather the feedback of beneficiaries in order to make the portal more citizen-friendly.

The minster also stated that in the last few years, India has emerged as a global powerhouse and a land of opportunities due to its strong presence in the fields of Defence, economy, trade, IT, agriculture, and investment.