Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan, a modern government office complex in Delhi, and pledged to end poverty in India. He called the new buildings “pro-people and pro-planet” and emphasized the importance of duty over rights.

Modi urged government officials to be more sensitive towards public grievances, saying a single file or complaint could hold deep meaning for someone. “One delayed file can affect the lives of lakhs,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s reform efforts, he noted the scrapping of 1,500 outdated laws and 40,000 compliances, promising continued reforms.

Taking a subtle dig at previous governments, he said India lagged behind other nations post-independence and stressed the importance of not passing on legacy problems to future generations. He added, “We’ve already lifted 25 crore people out of poverty, and our goal now is to free the country completely from it.”

The Kartavya Bhavan complex, which will house key ministries like Home, External Affairs, and Oil, will help save ₹1,500 crore annually in rent and reduce the daily movement of 10,000 employees across offices. Eventually, 10 such complexes will be built to bring all ministries under one roof.