PANJIM: The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) has rejected Goa government’s proposal to locate the full-fledged Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Dhargal, Pernem, terming the land as ‘insufficient’. The government now plans to look for a place in Ponda to meet the MHRD requirements of 400 acres of land.
The decision was taken following a survey by a special MHRD team in the State, which submitted its report to Union Minister Smriti Irani.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar confirmed the development, but quickly added that the State government has been given another opportunity to shortlist spacious land for setting up the prestigious institute.
“The 225 acres of land at Dhargal is insufficient to start the IIT, as MHRD demands 400 acres, which is a standard requirement for setting up such institutes across the country,” Parsekar told Herald after a meeting with Irani in Delhi on Monday.
The MHRD asked the government to either look out for additional property within 5 km radius from the proposed site at Dhargal, or locate another land that meets the requirement. “I have conveyed to the ministry that while we are trying to locate a spacious land to start the institute, it is by and large not possible since Goa is a small State,” the chief minister said.
The MHRD with the help of State government had planned to start IIT classes on temporary basis from the next academic year and relocating to the new property within one year.
The then chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who initiated the move to bring IIT to Goa, had stated that vast acres of land either at Dhargal, Bicholim or Ponda would be proposed for setting up the institute.
With the recent development, Goa government has now turned to Ponda looking for 400 acres of land.
“Once we locate the land, we will inform the ministry which can conduct fresh inspection to decide whether it is feasible to start the institute there,” a government official said.
