New Delhi, March 1 (IANS): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday virtually launched seven infrastructure projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore that include residential and office complexes for government officials.

The Finance Minister said that projects like these renew confidence and boosts morale of the officials that the government continues to provide for their welfare and well-being.

For the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Finance Minister laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Departmental Residential Complex comprising 198 quarters of Type-II and III for the officials of Income Tax Department, at Sector-28, Faridabad, Haryana, providing housing units for the officials of the Department.

Nirmala Sitharaman also laid the foundation stone of the Residential Complex at Sector-53, Gurugram, comprising 214 quarters of Type-II to VI for providing adequate residential houses for the officers and officials of the Income Tax Department.

For the Central Board of Indirect taxes and Customs (CBIC), the Finance Minister inaugurated the Departmental Residential Complex comprising 256 quarters of Type-IV, V and VI, for the officers of CBIC at Sector-9, Dwarka, New Delhi, providing for adequate residential houses for the middle and senior level officers of the department.

For the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Finance Minister inaugurated State Bank of India’s new local head office building; Life Insurance Corporation of India’s International Business Centre building; and Canara Bank’s IFSC Banking Unit at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat; followed by the inauguration of the new head office building of United India Insurance Company Ltd., at Chennai.

These infrastructure initiatives will give a fillip to business activities in GIFT City, and provide a state-of-the art headquarters building for United India Insurance Company for providing better customer services.

The launch was also attended by senior officials of the Finance Ministry.

CBDT Chairman Nitin Gupta said the new buildings will be state-of-the-art and modern as per the green building norms and conform to the latest GRIHA 3 parameters (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment). "They will also have common facilities like shops, control room for CCTV & security, community hall, Yoga/Gym/Fitness centre and recreational room, etc. The building complex shall be equipped with EV charging points, solar power plant, sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting, and green area for children and elders."

In his address on the occasion, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairman, CBIC, said that the CITRA Heights residential campus being inaugurated is one of the tallest and landmark buildings in New Delhi’s Dwarka and the project is located at one of the most preferred locations in Delhi, near IGI Airport.

Giving more details about the project, Agarwal said that the project is spread over 17,800 sqaure metres and will cater to the accommodation needs of the officers of CBIC stationed at Delhi.

Nirmala Sitharaman said that it is important to ensure that projects planned and completed without delays and the Department concerned should ensure that construction begins on time and that the projects are completed within the given time frame.