THURSDAY, MAY 09, 2024
Team Herald
Panjim: Goa’s Social Welfare Minister, Subhash Phal Desai, said that the selection committee has given the green light for a piece of land in Rivona to be used for the upcoming IIT Goa campus. Desai mentioned that the committee found the Rivona land highly suitable for the IIT campus and will soon provide written approval.
During a conversation with the committee, Minister Desai was informed that Rivona is the ideal location for the IIT project. The excitement was palpable as the minister shared the positive news on a Wednesday afternoon.
Previously, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant revealed that the state government is eagerly waiting for the Central government's approval to proceed with the IIT project in Rivona. Sawant expressed this while speaking to reporters after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Directorate of Higher Education and IIT Goa, BITS Goa, & GIM for the Faculty Enrichment Internship Program (FEIP).
Sawant assured that all local formalities, including the inspection of the selected land, have been completed. Now, the ball is in the Central government's court. Once they give the green light, the government will finalize the deal by handing over the land for the IIT Goa campus.
This decision came after facing opposition to the project twice before. In January 2021, due to protests from Shel-Melavali village in Sattari taluka of North Goa, the proposed IIT Goa campus was relocated to Rivona. Now, with all local hurdles seemingly cleared, the final step awaits the Central government's approval to pave the way for the IIT Goa campus in Rivona.
