: Friday, February 13, 2026 7:28 PM
New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting after the inauguration of ‘Seva Teerth’. He said that today we all are seeing a new history being made. This is an important auspicious day. This day is witnessing a new beginning in India’s development journey. He said that Vijaya Ekadashi has great importance in the scriptures. The determination with which we move ahead on this day will definitely lead to victory. Today, we all are entering the building of service, pilgrimage and duty with the resolve of a developed India. You have the divine power to be victorious in your goal. Prime Minister Modi said that I express my gratitude to the PMO employees, officers, engineers and workers associated with the construction of Seva Teerth. After independence, buildings like South and North Block took important decisions and policies for the country, but it is also true that these buildings were built as symbols of the British Empire. Its purpose was to keep India bound in the chains of slavery for years.
The PM said that there was a time when Kolkata used to be the capital of the country, but after the partition of Bengal in 1905, Kolkata became a strong center of anti-British movement. The British shifted the capital of India from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911 and after that, keeping in mind the needs and thinking of the British government, they started the construction of buildings in North and South Block. After this, when the buildings of Raisena Hills were inaugurated, the then Viceroy had said that the buildings built were in accordance with the thinking of the British Emperor, that is, at that time these buildings were the medium to bring the thinking of the British Emperor to the land of slave India.
Raisena Hills was chosen so that the buildings remain taller than other buildings and no one can match them. Incidentally, this complex of Seva Teerth is not on any hill, but is connected to the ground. While buildings like South Block and North Block were built to implement the vision of the British rule, today I can say with pride that new complexes like Seva Teerth and Dutva Bhawan have been built to fulfill the aspirations of Indians. The decisions taken from here will not be based on the thinking of any Maharaj, but will be the basis for carrying forward the expectations of 140 crore countrymen.
He said that with this nectar of spirit, today I am dedicating this Seva Teerth, Dutva Bhavan to the people of India. At this time the first quarter of the 21st century has been completed. It is essential that our vision of a developed India is reflected not only in policies and plans, but also in our workplaces and our buildings from which the country is run. That place should be effective as well as inspiring. It should be impressive as well as inspiring.
Today, new technologies are rapidly making their place among us, but the old buildings were becoming inadequate for the use of new tools to expand these facilities. There was shortage of space in the old buildings of South Block and North Block. The facilities also had their limitations. The buildings, which were about 100 years old, were falling into disrepair from within. Apart from this there were many challenges also. I think it is important to continuously inform the country about these challenges. More than Rs 1,500 crore is being spent every year on the rent of buildings of ministries running from more than 50 different places in Delhi.
The logistics cost of moving 8 to 10 thousand employees from one building to another every day was different. Now construction of these buildings will reduce expenses, time will be saved and productivity will increase by saving time of employees. Surely the memories of the years spent in old buildings will remain with us. Many important decisions were taken relating to the challenges of different times. From there the country got a new direction, and many reform initiatives were taken.
PM Modi said that in the journey of developed India, it is very important that India moves forward free from the mentality of slavery. It is unfortunate that even after independence the symbols of slavery continued to be carried in our country. In 2014, the country resolved to get rid of the remnants of colonial and slave mentality. We started a campaign to change the mentality of slavery. We built a National War Memorial in the name of the heroes. We built a police memorial to honor the bravery of the police. The race course was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg. This was not just a decision to change the name, it was a sacred effort to change the mood of power to the spirit of service.
He said that the name changing initiative is not just a change of words. The ideological thread behind all these efforts is the same – the independent identity of independent India, the mark free from slavery. The name of the new Prime Minister’s Office is Seva Tirtha. The spirit of service is the soul of India. The spirit of service is the identity of India.
The PM said that these buildings will remind us every moment that governance means service and responsibility means dedication. It is also said in our scriptures, Seva Paramo Dharma, that is, service is the greatest religion. This idea of Indian culture is the vision of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Government, hence Seva Teerth is not just a name, it is a resolution. Seva Teerth means a place made sacred by the service of a citizen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi further said in his address that today when India is riding on the Reform Express, today when India is writing a new saga of international relations, today when India is opening new doors of possibilities by making new trade agreements, and when the country is rapidly moving towards the goal of saturation, then the new pace of work of all of you in Seva Teerth and Dutva Bhawans and your new confidence will play a huge role in achieving the goals of the country.
He said that in the last 11 years we have seen a new model of governance, which puts the citizen at the center of every decision. “Nagrik Devo Bhava” is not just a slogan, it is the guiding principle of our work culture. As we enter these new buildings, we must fully embrace this ideal. Every decision taken, every file processed and every moment spent here at Seva Tirtha should be dedicated to improving the lives of the 140 crore people of our country. We have not come here to claim our rights, we have come here to fulfill our responsibilities. We have seen that when governance is run with a spirit of service, the results are extraordinary. Only then 25 crore people came out of the poverty line. Only then does the economy gain new momentum.
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Web Title-Prime Minister Modi said, The independent identity of independent India, a symbol free from slavery, at the inauguration of Seva Tirtha
