Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled ‘Seva Teerth’ as the new name for the complex housing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the Cabinet Secretariat, marking what officials described as a significant step in reshaping India’s administrative landscape.
The renaming forms part of the government’s broader effort, underway since 2014, to shed vestiges of the colonial era and foster what it calls a new governance mindset. In recent years, South Block has been redesignated as Seva Teerth, the Central Secretariat as Kartavya Bhavan, Rajpath as Kartavya Path, and Race Course Road as Lok Kalyan Marg. Several Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwas properties across the country have also been renamed Lok Bhavan or Lok Niwas.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to formally inaugurate Seva Teerth along with Kartavya Bhavan-1 and 2, before addressing a public gathering at the new complex at around 6 pm.
According to an official release from the PMO, the inauguration “marks a transformative milestone in India’s administrative governance architecture” and reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to building a “modern, efficient, accessible and citizen-centric governance ecosystem”.
For decades, key government departments operated from ageing and dispersed facilities across the Central Vista area, resulting in coordination difficulties, rising maintenance costs and sub-optimal working conditions. The new complexes consolidate these functions within purpose-built, technologically advanced infrastructure.
Seva Teerth now brings together the PMO, the NSCS and the Cabinet Secretariat, which were previously spread across multiple locations. Kartavya Bhavan-1 and 2 will accommodate several major ministries, including Finance, Defence, Health and Family Welfare, Corporate Affairs, Education, Culture, Law and Justice, Information and Broadcasting, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilisers, and Tribal Affairs.
Both complexes are equipped with digitally integrated workspaces, dedicated public interface zones and centralised reception facilities aimed at enhancing coordination, efficiency and citizen engagement, while improving working conditions for staff.
Designed to meet 4-Star GRIHA standards, the buildings incorporate renewable energy systems, water conservation mechanisms, waste management solutions and high-performance envelopes to minimise environmental impact and improve operational performance. They also feature advanced safety and security systems, including smart access controls, surveillance networks and modern emergency response infrastructure.
Major decisions on day one
Beginning work immediately from his new office, Mr Modi cleared a series of proposals focused on women, youth and vulnerable citizens.
Among them was approval for the launch of the PM RAHAT Scheme, under which accident victims will be entitled to cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh. Officials said the initiative aims to ensure that “no life is lost due to lack of immediate medical help”.
In a boost to women’s self-help groups, the government announced it had achieved the milestone of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis more than a year ahead of the original March 2027 target. “The PM has now set a new, ambitious target of 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029, doubling both scale and aspiration,” an official said.
Strengthening the agricultural value chain was also prioritised, with approval granted to double the outlay of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore.
To support innovation, particularly in deep technology, advanced manufacturing and early-stage ventures, the Prime Minister sanctioned Startup India FoF 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
