GOVERNMENT OF ORISSA

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi

September 29, 2006

            The Chief Minister, Orissa, Shri Naveen Patnaik met the Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Shri Arjun Singh today to discuss about the establishment of a campus of IIT, Kharagpur in Orissa. Shri Patnaik stated that the Government of Orissa have offered 300 acres of land next to Bhubaneswar city for setting up the campus and the State Government is fully committed to provide all necessary assistance for the institution. Since Orissa is fast emerging as a hub for industrial activities, an institution of the stature of IIT will provide the much needed boost to the efforts of the Government in providing support to these industries. The Union Minister, Shri Arjun Singh stated that the Central Government is positively inclined for setting up such an institution soon.

          The Chief Minister also discussed about the establishment of a new Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bhubaneswar regarding which he had earlier written to the Prime Minister. In view of the growth of Bhubaneswar as a major centre for IT and IT-enabled services, it is ideally located for a IIIT. The State Government is willing to provide land for the institution. The Union Minister, Shri Arjun Singh responded that the Government of India will definitely consider the case of Bhubaneswar favourably while sanctioning new IIITs in the near future.

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