AT THE HOLY PLACE: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy being presented an image of goddess Gnana Saraswati at the famous temple at Basar on Wednesday.

BASAR(Adilabad dt.): Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Wednesday ruled out establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at the temple town of Basar in Adilabad district. He said the IIT could not be established because of the changed policy of the Union Government, which envisaged only upgradation of the existing institutes like engineering colleges across the country.

Addressing a press conference here while he came visiting Basar for the Praja Patham programme, the Chief Minister revealed that his efforts for the establishment of an IIT at Basar with the Centre were not fruitful due to the changed policy. He cited the examples of the engineering colleges of Osmania and Andhra Universities being upgraded as a result of the implementation of the policy.

The Chief Minister also unfolded the State Government's plans to create centres of excellence in a phased manner in the State. He termed these plans as a `new concept'.

Giving details about the new concept in higher education, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said universities in the State would be asked to open residential PG colleges in the rural areas. Such colleges would be opened in 10 districts this year followed by 13 next year.

These self-financed PG colleges would train two or three graduates each from respective rural mandals in technical and non-technical job-oriented courses.

The selected youth would be facilitated to acquire bank loans for studies. The universities would have the onus of providing job opportunities to the students. In case the university failed to provide employment to the trained youth, it would have to repay the bank loan, he added.

Answering questions, the Chief Minister said the new concept would produce about 5,000 `elite' youths from the rural areas every year in due course. These youths would have the advantage, like those from the urban areas, of job opportunities, he added.

The State Government would soon recruit 3,300 employees in the Medical and Health Department, including 1,100 doctors and an equal number of nurses and para-medical staff.

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