Pune: For the first time ever, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a meeting with chief executive officers (CEO) and vice presidents (VP) of the 62 Cantonment Boards in India in New Delhi on April 30. 

The meeting will be held to discuss various long-pending issues in the cantonments. The meeting will also include Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from areas covered by all cantonments. 

DN Yadav, CEO of PCB, said, “Officials of cantonment boards in the city hold several meetings whenever necessary. But this will be the first meeting between the Defence Minister and cantonment board CEOs, VPs and local MPs. The local MPs will discuss issues regarding funds, untouched or unfinished projects, goods and service tax, defence land issues, encroachment problems, water issues, sewage treatment plant issues, etc.”

“We hope this meeting will solve at least 90 per cent of the issues of all cantonments and the minister will come to know the ground realities related to cantonments so that she can come up with innovative solutions for problems,” Yadav added.