The Hindu : New Delhi News : Himachal IIT be made functional from this year, Dhumal urges Manmohan

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Himachal IIT be made functional from this year, Dhumal urges Manmohan

Special Correspondent

Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal

NEW DELHI: Disclosing that a team of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry would be visiting Himachal Pradesh in the first week of September to finalise the location for a new Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and a Central University, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that the newly-sanctioned IIT starts its academic session this year itself.

Mr. Dhumal, who was in Delhi in connection with the confidence vote in Parliament, said he had written to the Prime Minister that instead of the proposed session beginning next year it should be put in place from this year for the benefit of students from the State.

Mr. Dhumal said the Himachal Government had acted promptly and the land for setting up the institute had been identified near Mandi. The proposal and the fine details about the site have been sent to the Centre for evaluation before the scheduled visit of the Central team.

The 530-acre chunk of land is easily approachable from various sides and there is enough provision for essentials like water and electricity, Mr. Dhumal added.

“We hope that all the formalities for giving a final nod for the site would be completed in the shortest possible time by the Central Government so that we are able to put in place a knowledge complex par excellence for the people of the State,” he added.

The Chief Minister said since the new complex for the IIT would need time to be given a final shape, the Government had already decided to make available alternative accommodation to run the academic session.

The academic block of the Vallabh Government College, Mandi, would be made available as a makeshift accommodation for the IIT. Mandav Hotel of the State Tourism Development Corporation, a PWD rest house and a hostel at Drang will be made available for residences of the director, the registrar and other staff of the institute and for the purpose of hostel for boys and girls.

Mr. Dhumal suggested that the premises of the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, also be considered for starting classes of the first batch. Interestingly, NIT Hamirpur has been adjudged the best NIT in the country by the World Bank for its quality infrastructure and allied facilities.

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