02-06-2013 … The central government has approved a scheme for setting up the state’s first Indian Institute of Technology on public-private partnership basis at Farmagudi, Union Human Resources Development Minister Dr M M Pallam Raju said, on Friday.
The Union minister also announced 50 percent reservation of seats for Goans at the National Institute of Technology, Goa, which is to be set up at Cuncolim.
Dr Raju, who is in Goa to attend the pan-IIM conference on ‘Emerging issues in management today’, met Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over setting up of the IIT and to identify land for setting up the NIT permanent unit.
Speaking to media persons after his meeting with the CM, Dr Raju said that land for the purpose would be made available free of cost by the state government, the IIT would be established at a capital cost of Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore to be contributed in the ratio of 85:15 by the Centre and the industry partner respectively.
“The Goa government has already identified land at the Farmagudi engineering complex and is in the process of finalizing the private partners,” the Union minister said.
Parrikar also said the government is in the process of drafting tenders for inviting bidders. He said that by December 2013, the construction work of the institution building would commence.
“The IIT is being set up as per the central government scheme, wherein Goa is one amongst 20 states identified for the purpose,” he said.
Setting up IIT would boost the career prospects of students, who have to otherwise move outside Goa, especially Mumbai and Bangalore to pursue their education.
Speaking about NIT Goa, Parrikar said that an area of 300 acres, spanning from Cuncolim to Balli, has been identified by the state to set up permanent infrastructure for the NIT, which presently functions from the Goa Engineering College premises at Farmagudi.
“The work for the NIT would also begin from December, this year,” he said.
The NIT, set up in Goa under the central government’s 11th five year plan, has started out by offering computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering and electrical and electronics engineering, with an intake of 30 students for each stream.
The chief minister had in the past said that the permanent land for NIT Goa would be provided only if the Union government assures 50 percent reservation to locals. At present Goa shares the 50 per cent reservation with Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.
