Eighth IIT to be located in Andhra Pradesh
Eighth IIT to be located in Andhra Pradesh
December 19, 2006
By Indo Asian News Service
Hyderabad, Dec 19 (IANS) The government will set up the eighth Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y.S.
Rajasekhara Reddy announced in the state assembly Tuesday.
Making a statement in the house, he said the union human resource
development (HRD) ministry had given a green signal for the premier
institute - widely regarded as one India's centres for excellence -
that would come up at Isnapur near Sanga Reddy in Medak district, about
100 km from the state capital.
'I am happy to inform this house that I have just received a
communication from (HRD Minister) Arjun Singh informing that one IIT is
sanctioned to Andhra Pradesh in response to our sustained request for
locating an IIT in our state,' he said.
This acceptance is part of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan agenda to start three new IITs in the country, the chief minister added.
The HRD ministry has requested the state government to identify and
allot 500-600 acres of land free of cost, with physical and social
infrastructure, including road, rail and air connectivity.
'Therefore, my government has decided to locate the IIT in Medak
district, which was once represented by former prime minister Indira
Gandhi in the Lok Sabha as it will satisfy the requirements laid down
by the HRD minister,' he said.
The chief minister recalled that the assembly had earlier adopted a
resolution requesting the government for an IIT at Basara, the temple
town of goddess Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of learning) on the banks
of river Godavari in Adilabad district.
'However, we are constrained to locate it in Medak district having
proximity to the metropolitan twin cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad, in
view of the letter of the HRD minister,' Rajasekhara Reddy explained.
He expressed the hope that the IIT in Medak would help develop the
backward Telangana region where a powerful section of people have been
agitating for a separate state.
'This, I am sure, will help develop the backward parts of Telangana,
providing opportunities to a large number of our youngsters to pursue
high quality technical education, which is our strong point in the
entire country,' Reddy said.
As some members expressed their disappointment over ignoring
Basara, the chief minister announced that a 21st century gurukul
(traditional centre of learning) institute would be set up in the
temple town.
There are seven IITs in India - in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati, Kanpur and Chennai.
It was not immediately known where the two other new IITs would be located.
Gandhinagar to have full-fledged IIT; Govt clears 300 acres land
Gandhinagar, October 29: IT is going to be IIT-G. The Gujarat
campus of IIT-Powai will be a full-fledged IIT, and not an extension of
Powai.
A piece of 300 acres of land, as demanded by the IIT-Powai board, has
been cleared by the State education and revenue departments in Shahpur
village, some three km from Gandhinagar. The sprawling IIT campus would
add one more feather in the cap of Gandhinagar that is fast developing
as a hub of higher education.
‘‘We are just waiting for a nod from the Centre, and construction would
be up and going in next six months. The project was conceived by the
Chief Minister himself and the government has put it on fast track,’’
informed P Paneerval, Principal Secretary (Education).
Last week, the IIT-Powai board sent its proposal to the Union Ministry
of Human Resources Development for the final nod to the new campus.
On a visit to meet the Chief Minister last month, IIT-Powai team had
informed that the new campus would be a full-fledged IIT, and not an
extension of Powai. The Gujarat campus would have 4,000-4,500 students,
almost the same as Powai.
There will be emphasis on courses specific to the development of the
State, like Marine and Ship Building, Textile Engineering, and
Aeronautical Engineering.
Though the new campus would be ready only by 2008, IIT-G would start
functioning from the Gandhinagar Engineering College campus on the Koba
highway from April-June 2007. ‘‘Provisions are being made for faculty
and holding of the Joint Entrance Exam here as well. We were earlier
trying to take land in Ahmedabad, but later zeroed in on Gandhinagar
for its excellent institutional development,’’ said a senior official
of Education Department.
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