The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will be moving to the newly built Executive Enclave next month, sources in the government confirmed. The move is part of the Central Vista redevelopment project.
The Executive Enclave, developed under the Central Vista project, is now ready to house the Prime Minister’s Office along with other key government establishments, including the Cabinet Secretariat, the National Security Council Secretariat, and a conferencing facility. Importantly, the new PMO is closer to the Prime Minister’s residence.
The move was necessary due to space constraints and lack of modern facilities in the old colonial era buildings. The government felt the need for new infrastructure that reflects India’s rising status as an economic power.
Part of Wider Central Vista Revamp
Last month, ministries of Home Affairs and Personnel were shifted to the newly inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan-3. At the inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lamented the condition of the old offices. He said key ministries like Home Affairs functioned for decades in cramped, poorly lit buildings.
“It is difficult to imagine how an important ministry like Home Affairs functioned for nearly 100 years from a single building with insufficient infrastructure,” he said.
The new PMO may also get a new name in line with the Centre’s naming convention for Central Vista projects. Reports suggest the name could be inspired by the spirit of sewa (service).
In his first address to PMO after taking over for the third term, PM Modi had said the PMO should symbolize service to the people. “PMO should be people’s PMO. It cannot be Modi’s PMO,” he said.
North and South Block to Become Museums
With major offices moving out, the iconic North Block and South Block — the administrative heart of the Indian government for nearly eight decades — will be converted into a public museum named Yuge Yugeen Bharat Sangrahalaya.
The government has signed an agreement with National Museum and France Museums Development to collaborate on the project. “This project (is) aimed at showcasing India’s cultural heritage — a celebration of timeless & eternal India to explore our proud past, illuminate the present & imagine the bright future,” officials said.