Jindal to set up engg, power tech colleges in Raigarh

Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) is investing over Rs 40 crore to set up engineering and power technology colleges in Raigarh district. This is also the district where the company has its steel and power facilities. Christened the Jindal Institute of Technology (JIT) and Jindal Institute of Power Technology (JIPT), the institutes will be functional from July this year.

The institutes will be set up in 25 acres at the OP Jindal Industrial Park at Punjipathara, .The aim is to improve the quality of education in the field of engineering in Chhattisgarh. According to Sanjeev Sahni, head - strategic HR, JSPL, "JSPL will make fresh investments next year to expand existing infrastructure in an attempt to double its student and faculty intake and to scale up its academic programmes."

While JIT would offer four-year engineering programmes infour streams-metallurgy, civil, mechanical, and electical and electronic engineering,

JIPT will offer one-year diploma and degree programmes in power technology.

These would be residential colleges and would initially have 215 air-conditioned rooms for 430 boys and 86 rooms for 86 girls. They would also have about 23 houses for faculty. The two institutes combined will have 25 workshops and 25 laboratories.

"In 2009, we would make fresh investments to expand accommodation andclassroom facilities," Sahni said.

The second phase of expansion would also include new programmes which is likely to include computer science, information technology and mining.

JSPL is the largest private sector company in Chhattisgarh with an investment commitment of over Rs 20,000 crore. Jindal Power Limited, Nalwa Steel and Power Limited are other proposed projects of O P Jindal group coming up in the state.