What Is ‘Seva Teerth’? PM Modi Opens New PMO Building, Says It Will Serve 140 Crore Indians

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a new building for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Delhi and named it Seva Teerth. Along with it, two new secretariat buildings — Kartavya Bhavan 1 and Kartavya Bhavan 2 — were also opened.

What Does “Teerth” Mean?

In simple words, “Teerth” means a holy place or a place of importance in Indian tradition. By naming the PMO Seva Teerth, the Prime Minister said the building is meant to be a place dedicated to service (seva) of the people, not power.

Modi said the new buildings are part of India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, which he calls Viksit Bharat. He explained that the government wants workplaces to reflect modern India’s goals and values.

Why Were These Buildings Built?

The Prime Minister said the older government buildings like South Block and North Block were built during British rule. While many important decisions were taken there after Independence, the buildings were originally designed as symbols of colonial power.

He said the new Seva Teerth complex is different because it is designed for:

• Faster decision-making
• Better use of technology
• More office space
• Improved coordination between ministries
• Saving public money

According to the government, many ministries were working from more than 50 different buildings in Delhi, and around ₹1,500 crore was being spent every year on rent. The new complex will reduce costs and save time for officials.

What Decisions Were Taken There on Day One?

On the same day the building was opened, key decisions were approved from Seva Teerth, including:

• Doubling the target of the Lakhpati Didi scheme to help rural women earn ₹1 lakh annually
• Increasing the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to ₹2 lakh crore to support farmers
• Approving a ₹10,000 crore Startup India Fund to encourage new businesses

The Prime Minister said decisions taken in Seva Teerth will focus on fulfilling the needs of 140 crore Indians.

Moving Away from Colonial Symbols

Modi also spoke about removing symbols of colonial rule from India. He mentioned earlier steps like renaming Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg and building the National War Memorial. He said the idea is to replace the “power mindset” of the past with a “service mindset.”

What This Means

In simple terms, Seva Teerth is not just a new office building. The government says it represents a shift in thinking — from colonial-style governance to modern, people-focused administration. The aim is to create a workspace that supports India’s long-term development goals.