The British-era government office buildings in North and South blocks -part of the iconic skyline at Delhi's Raisina Hill -- will be vacated on Friday. Along with it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office will also move to the newly built Sewa Teerth complex. Before vacating the old office, PM Modi will chair the last meeting of the Cabinet at the South Block.
Designed by Herbert Baker, a contemporary of Edwin Lutyens - the architect of Lutyen's Delhi - the North and South blocks had initially housed the British government and was taken over by the government of Independent India since 1947.
The South Block houses the Prime Minister's Office, as well as the offices of the Ministries of External Affairs and Defence. The North Block is the site of the key home and finance Ministries.
The Prime Minister's Office in the South Block has been witness to hundreds of key decisions since Independence. Regular cabinet meetings were also held here, where many important decisions were made.
Here are five decisions and actions taken by PM Modi from his office in the South Block since he came to power in 2014.
Demonetisation (2016)
Demonetisation was announced in India on November 8, 2016, at 8 pm. At the time, PM Modi, while addressing the nation, announced that old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations will become invalid with immediate effect.
The purpose of the decision was said to be to curb black money, eliminate counterfeit notes, and weaken the funding of terrorism.
The government also announced the issuance of new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes.
The decision was made in the Prime Minister's Office and communicated to the public through a live TV broadcast.
Surgical Strike (2016)
PM Modi oversaw and approved the surgical strike from the war room in the South Block. On September 18, 2016, terrorists attacked an Indian Army camp in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, killing 19 soldiers.
In response, on September 29, 2016, the Indian Army crossed the Line of Control and carried out surgical strikes against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The army destroyed several launch pads and killed a large number of terrorists. This was the first time India publicly confirmed such an action.
Balakot Air Strike (2019)
On February 14, 2019, 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred in a suicide attack by terrorists in Pulwama. On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force carried out an airstrike on a training camp of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, Pakistan.
A large number of terrorists were said to be killed in this operation.
This was the largest air strike ever conducted across the border by India. The decision was also made from South Block, with PM Modi continuously monitoring the situation in the war room.
Kisan Samman Nidhi (2024)
After taking oath as Prime Minister for the third time in 2024, PM Modi returned to his office in the South Block. On his arrival, he first released the 17th instalment of the Kisan Samman Nidhi.
SIT on Black Money (2014)
After becoming Prime Minister for the first time in 2014, PM Modi decided to form a Special Investigation Team on black money in his very first cabinet meeting in the South Block.
