PM Modi Inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan, First of 10 New Secretariat Buildings Under Central Vista Project

Speaking at a public programme on Kartavya Path, shortly after inaugurating Kartavya Bhavan, the first of several new Common Central Secretariat buildings, he explained that both names reflect the core spirit of India’s democracy and Constitution. For decades after Independence, key ministries operated from colonial-era buildings that lacked adequate space, lighting, and ventilation. He noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs functioned for nearly 100 years from a single, overcrowded structure.

Modi pointed out that today, various ministries work out of 50 different locations across Delhi, many in rented premises, at an annual rental cost of ₹1,500 crore. He added that 8,000 to 10,000 employees commute daily between these offices, generating high vehicle traffic, raising costs, and reducing administrative efficiency.

“Twenty-first-century India requires twenty-first-century buildings,” he said, emphasising the need for modern facilities equipped with advanced technology, robust security, and comfortable workspaces. Such buildings will enable faster decision-making and seamless service delivery.

Kartavya Bhavan and additional new secretariat complexes around Kartavya Path will consolidate scattered offices, offering employees improved amenities and saving the government ₹1,500 crore in rent. Modi affirmed that these developments form part of a holistic vision for nation-building that reaches every corner of the country.

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s belief that rights and duties are inseparable, the Prime Minister stressed that just as citizens must fulfil their duties, the government must uphold its responsibilities with equal seriousness. He declared the past decade a period of “Good Governance,” marked by consistent, dynamic, and visionary reforms.

He highlighted the global recognition of India’s JAM Trinity, Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile, for making welfare delivery transparent and leak-free. Addressing past fraud, he noted that nearly 10 crore fake beneficiaries across various schemes had been removed, saving over ₹4.3 lakh crore, which has since been redirected toward development.

To reduce citizen hardship and bureaucratic delays, the government has repealed more than 1,500 obsolete laws and eliminated over 40,000 compliance requirements. Departments have been restructured: duplications removed, some ministries merged, and new ones created where necessary.

Modi urged reflection rather than criticism, observing that nations with similar histories have advanced more rapidly and that India must not pass its historical challenges to future generations. He recalled that even within outdated buildings, government policies lifted 25 crore people out of poverty. With modern infrastructure, he asserted, India can complete the mission of eradicating poverty and become a developed nation.

He called on all stakeholders to collaborate in making India the world’s third-largest economy and to drive successes in initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.