Manmohan Singh's memorial next to Pranab Mukherjee's soon? Centre's offer to family

Manmohan Singh Memorial may become a reality soon as a plot next to former President Pranab Mukherjee memorial has been offered to the family members of the former PM, top govt sources have said. The government will also provide Rs 25 lakh to the trust to build the memorial, they added, according to NDTV report.

The ministry of housing and urban affairs has officially informed the family of the late prime minister about the decision and requested them to register a trust - a mandatory requirement for allocation of public land - so that procedural formalities can be completed.

The government has earmarked a plot for Mukherjee's memorial in the 'Rashtriya Samiti' complex in the Rajghat precinct in Delhi, the former president's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee confirmed last month.

Singh's family to decide on type of memorial they want 

The family of former Manmohan Singh is currently deliberating on the nature of his memorial. "This is likely to take time. The family will be discussing what kind of a memorial they want to construct, and then will intimate to the government," said a close associate.

Rashtriya Smriti, the solemn expanse along the Yamuna riverbank, has been designated as a common site for the final rites and memorials of national leaders, including Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and Prime Ministers.

The site already houses the memorials of seven eminent figures, such as former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Chandra Shekhar, and I. K. Gujral. The remaining two plots at the complex have now been reserved for Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee.

Reports indicate that on January 3, senior officials, including Urban Affairs Secretary K. Srinivas, conducted an inspection of the Rashtriya Smriti complex. Later that evening, he engaged in discussions with Singh’s family members to seek their consent before the government formally allots the land to a trust responsible for constructing the memorial.