Centre suggests places for Manmohan Singh’s memorial, options sent to his family

The central government has initiated the process to build a memorial for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Suggestions for potential sites have been shared with his family, who have been asked to select one location to commence the construction work.

According to sources, around 1 to 1.5 acres of land near Rajghat, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, or Kisan Ghat has been proposed for the memorial. Officials from the Ministry of Urban Development have already inspected these areas.

Under the new policy, land for the memorial can only be allocated to a trust. Hence, the formation of a trust is a prerequisite for starting the project. Once the trust is established, it will apply for the land allocation, and an MoU will be signed with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for construction.

There is also a possibility that the memorial may be located near Rajghat, where the final resting places of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Sanjay Gandhi are situated.

The move comes days after the BJP and Congress were involved in a war of words over the memorial for the late former PM Manmohan Singh. Congress criticized the BJP for denying the party’s request to conduct the former PM’s last rites at a designated site where a memorial could be built. In response, the BJP labelled it as “cheap politics.”

The 92-year-old leader died on December 26, 2024.