MC EXCLUSIVE Nearly 90% of finance ministry files go digital as officials shift to new Central Vista building

North Block is one of the two iconic Secretariat buildings on Raisina Hill

With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top bureaucrats of the Finance Ministry beginning work from the newly constructed Central Vista building this week, the ministry has advised all its divisions to digitise and scan legacy files before shifting. Multiple government sources told Moneycontrol that close to 90 percent of the ministry’s work will now move to e-files, leaving only about 10 percent of files in physical form.

A senior government source said the ministry has advised its officers to “scan legacy files and shred them so that they do not have to be taken to the new building, which has limited storage space.” Another source added that the e-office transition has accelerated with the shift, remarking: “Earlier, the ratio was roughly 70:30 between e-files and physical files. With the move, we are looking at a 90:10 balance in favour of digital records, which is a positive step.”

Sources acknowledged that the new premises are designed with modern workflows in mind, leaving little room for traditional paper records. “Now, almost every old file has been scanned. This is an advance in technology, and even routine ministry work such as notes and approvals are being processed digitally,” a senior source said. However, the transition also requires staff training. “New recruits, especially assistants and section officers, have to be trained to handle e-files. The system has multiple levels of scrutiny, but the work flow remains the same as with physical files,” a source explained.

Some officers also described the shift as a cultural change for the bureaucracy. “The new building is more open and has cubicle-style seating. Unlike North Block, it doesn’t have many individual chambers. It feels more like an industrial workspace, which is a cultural change for officers used to large rooms,” a senior official said.

Others highlighted the broader governance significance. “It’s not just about saving space – the push for e-files means faster movement, better record-keeping, and transparency. Earlier, a physical file could get delayed or misplaced between desks. Now, tracking is easier,” a source said.

Confidential files

While the majority of officials welcomed the shift, some pointed out constraints. “Certain sensitive matters still require physical files due to confidentiality issues. But for routine work, e-files will dominate,” one source noted. Another confirmed that scanned copies of older files were being “re-filed digitally” to preserve record-keeping standards.

Junior officials will move into the new premises in the subsequent weeks. “Ahead of Diwali, the entire Finance Ministry will shift and work from the Central Vista,” a government official told Moneycontrol.

In a symbolic gesture ahead of the move, Sitharaman on Friday posed for a photograph outside North Block along with officials from the three key departments housed there -- Revenue, Expenditure and Economic Affairs -- before they began work from the new premises.

The Central Vista project, under which the new Parliament building has already been inaugurated and several ministry buildings are being redeveloped, is one of the government’s most ambitious infrastructure projects. The relocation of ministries to the new premises is meant to symbolise a modern, efficient and future-ready governance structure, moving away from the colonial-era offices of North and South Block.

For the Finance Ministry, the shift to a digital-first working model within this new space emphasises both the physical and symbolic break with the past.

What is the Central Vista project?

The Central Vista redevelopment project is a flagship initiative of the government aimed at modernising the administrative heart of New Delhi. It includes the construction of a new Parliament building, new offices for ministries, and the redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue. The project is intended to provide modern infrastructure, greater efficiency, and a governance ecosystem that reflects a future-ready state, while replacing the ageing colonial-era offices.