Modi moves PMO to ‘Seva Teerth’, calls it a break from colonial legacy

Marking what he described as a decisive shift from colonial-era governance to a people-centric administrative framework, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13 formally moved the Prime Minister’s Office from the historic South Block to the newly constructed Seva Teerth complex under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

Inaugurating the Seva Teerth along with Kartavya Bhavan 1 and 2, the Prime Minister said the move symbolized India’s departure from the legacy of imperial rule. The buildings in North Block and South Block, he said, were constructed as “symbols of the British Empire” and designed to keep India “chained in slavery for centuries.”

“The new complexes like Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan have been built to fulfil the aspirations of India and its people,” Modi said. “The decisions made here will not reflect the thinking of any Maharaja, but will serve as the foundation for advancing the dreams of 1.4 billion citizens.”

Calling the new office a “sacred space of service,” the Prime Minister dedicated Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan to the nation, invoking the spirit of Nagrik Devo Bhava and reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a “Viksit Bharat.”

Earlier in a post on X, Modi described Seva Teerth as a “radiant symbol of duty, compassion and commitment to the principle of India First,” expressing hope that it would inspire generations toward selfless public service.

Central Vista shift

The Executive Enclave complex, located on Dara Shikoh Road (formerly Dalhousie Road), houses the PMO along with the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat. The project forms a key component of the Centre’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment plan. A new Prime Minister’s residence, Executive Enclave Part 2, is also under construction nearby.

Since Independence, the PMO had functioned from South Block—a structure built by the British in the 1920s–30s during the tenure of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi said the shift was necessitated by space constraints and structural deterioration within the old buildings, adding that the move would also reduce expenditure on office rentals and logistical arrangements.

Welfare clearances from new office

Shortly after assuming charge at Seva Teerth, the Prime Minister garlanded a statue of Lord Ganesha and cleared a series of welfare-oriented decisions.

Among the key approvals was a scheme under the PM RAHAT initiative to provide cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for accident victims. He also sanctioned:

• Doubling the target of the Lakhpati Didi scheme to 6 crore beneficiaries, aimed at enabling rural women in Self-Help Groups to earn over ₹1 lakh annually.
• Increasing the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore.
• Launching Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore to boost early-stage and deep-tech ventures.

Senior officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, were present during the proceedings.

In a related development, the Delhi Metro renamed Udyog Bhawan station as Seva Teerth following the inauguration.

With the relocation, the government has framed the move not merely as an administrative shift, but as a symbolic rewriting of India’s governance geography—from imperial corridors to what it calls a citizen-first command centre.