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PM Modi inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan, first of 10 new buildings in Delhi to house key ministries | Watch
PM Modi inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan, the first of 10 Common Central Secretariat buildings that will house the bureaucracy across ministries.
The target is to have all 10 ready within the next two years.
This is part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, under which the Modi government has constructed the new Parliament building and the Vice President Enclave. A key road near the country's power centre, known earlier as Raj Path, has been redeveloped and renamed Kartavya Path.
Also read | Kartavya Bhavan: 5 things about swanky new address for central ministries
Who will operate from Kartavya Bhavan?
Kartavya Bhavan is the first of 10 to be inaugurated. Offices of top ministries such as home affairs and external affairs, besides rural development; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME); and petroleum and natural gas, will operate from here.
The Principal Scientific Adviser's office and the the department of personnel and training will also be housed in Kartavya Bhavan.
Two more buildings are set to be completed by next month, while another has a target of April next year, followed by two more by October 2026.
New PMO part of project
After building or redoing buildings for the bureacracy, next in line is an Executive Enclave that will house a new Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Cabinet Secretariat, India House, and National Security Council Secretariat.
The Executive Enclave will have a second phase in which a new residence for the PM will be constructed too.
Which building stay?
Many key ministries currently function from ageing buildings like Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, and Nirman Bhawan, constructed between the 1950s and 1970s, which the government consider “structurally outdated and inefficient”.
Housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar said offices functioning from these buildings will shift to locations on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Minto Road and Netaji Palace temporarily for two years.
A few buildings are currently proposed to be retained.
These include the National Museum, National Archives, Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan (External Affairs Ministry), and Dr Ambedkar Auditorium. Vanijya Bhawan will also be retained.
(with PTI inputs)
