The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared a civilizational museum in the historic North and South Block complex, to be built in phases through FY 2030-31.

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• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
• The estimated project cost is Rs 3,230 crore, as appraised by the Public Investment Board (PIB), which examined the proposal on July 27, 2026.
• The museum will showcase the continuity, diversity and richness of India's civilizational heritage through an integrated narrative of tangible and intangible culture.
• It will be created through adaptive reuse of the North and South Block buildings, which became available after government offices relocated.
• The proposed built-up area is about 1,78,509 square metres, and the project is billed as the museum with the world's largest display area.
• The Prime Minister had announced the museum on May 18, 2023, and the Ministry of Culture has concurred with the PIB's recommendations.
• Implementation will be phased over FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, with the first gallery, themed on Adornment, due in North Block in later 2027.
• About 1.8 million objects have been identified from the National Museum, other Culture Ministry museums, 52 ASI site museums, state museums and private collections.
• Other planned gallery themes include Architecture and Cityscapes, Mathematics and Astronomy, Languages and Scripts, Faith and Spirituality, and Bharat Connects (Trade and Ideas).
• The museum is being equipped to handle one crore visitors a year and is expected to earn recurring revenue from tickets, events and visitor services.
• Official expectations include cultural tourism, soft power, research opportunities, employment for artisans and professionals, and Make in India vendor development.

Tags: YugeYugeenBharatMuseum, NorthSouthBlock, CCEA