ADAG zeros in on site for MP knowledge hub

Village Acharpura of tehsil Berasia, near Bhopal, is most likely to house the knowledge hub proposed by Anil Ambani-promoted Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG).

The company has signed a deal with the Madhya Pradesh government for setting up an extended arm of Ahmedabad-based Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology in Bhopal.

The new campus, if the state government clears the land allotment soon, will come up in a year, the quantum of investment for which is unknown.

But if sources in the state government and the company are to be believed, the investment may go up to Rs 500 crore. The institute is a part of the company's plan for one institute in each state.

Sources told Business Standard that the state government officials had showed six sites to company officials for the proposed institute.

Acharpura may be the most preferred site. The company, a source said, had asked for 150 acres in Bhopal and its vicinity during the Global Investors' Meet in Indore during October this year.

Badwai, Acharpura and a few other sites were identified for the purpose.

The Dhirubhai Ambani Institute, the source added, will offer courses in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and engineering. However, the company may spell out plans later.

"As of now the company is waiting for the government's response. It had applied for government-owned land," the source said.

A senior government official told Business Standard, "We are working on the documentation process." The company has also applied for deemed university status for the institute.

If the institute comes up, Bhopal will have three mega education campuses.