New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi as part of the government’s ambitious project to bring central ministries and departments under one roof for seamless functioning.
PM Modi inspected the building alongside Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar.
Kartavya Bhavan-03 is the first of several upcoming Common Central Secretariat buildings as part of the larger Central Vista project that is designed to streamline administrative processes, according to a press release by PMO.
The state-of-the-art building, comprising swanky conference rooms, modern amenities and CCTVs, will house the offices of the ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Rural Development, MSMEs, DoPT, Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) will also have his office in the building, which is spread over 1.5 lakh sq metres. The Department of Personnel and Training will also be housed in Kartavya Bhavan.
The original deadline for the completion of the first three CCS buildings was November 2023. However, now the entire project is expected to be completed by mid-2027.
Altogether, the new complex will have 10 new buildings housing different central government ministries.
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Udyog Bhawan, and Nirman Bhawan, constructed between the 1950s and 1970s, which the government considers “structurally outdated and inefficient”.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.
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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.