The Orissa government has decided to provide land for the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), granted to the state by the Centre, at Argul mouza in Jatni Tehsil.
It has sent its recommendation to the Union ministry of Human Resources Development requesting for a visit by the site selection committee (SSC) of Human Resources Development ministry to finalise the site.
“We have already sent our recommendation for a patch at Argul mouza in Jatni Tehsil to the Union HRD ministry and requested for a visit by the SSC. However, the final decision about the location depends on the SSC and the Union government”, A P Padhi, commissioner-secretary, industries department, Orissa government, told Business Standard.
Sources said, the government selected the area as 891 acres of government land will be readily available there for setting up of IIT. Besides, it conforms to the Union government’s requirement that the site has to be within 20 kms radius of the airport.
The Orissa government had earlier decided to provide the required 600 acres of land near Banki (between Damapada and Talabasta) in Cuttack district for the proposed IIT. It was considered the best among eight possible locations visited by the site selection committee earlier.
The HRD ministry had announced establishment of new IITs in different states including Orissa during the eleventh plan period in March 2008.
Orissa, which was demanding elite educational institutes in the state to address the growing requirement of efficient human resource to support the industrialisation drive, was sanctioned one IIT.