The move of chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy to establish an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Medak district has split Telangana into two groups.
Brushing aside infrastructure reasons cited by the government, the professors say IITs have produced brilliant students despite locational disadvantages. Since there is no government land available within the proximity of Hyderabad, the government is planning to provide Rs 3,000 crore to buy land from private land-owners, sources said.
The Medak leaders, led by the state industry minister, have stepped up their lobbying for the IIT, while the entire Opposition is backing educationist Chukka Ramaiah, popularly known as IIT Ramaiah, who recommended to the previous Chandrababu Naidu government that an IIT be set up in Basar (a temple town of the Goddess of learning, Saraswati).Ramaiah has been vocal in his criticism of the government for changing the location and has even formed an 'IIT Sadhana Samiti' to take up an agitation, if required.
Interestingly, Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh has given a new dimension to the issue. He said IITians had not made much contribution to the country. Hence, its presence in Basar would not make much of a difference either to the district or to the student community. However, he felt that since Medak was also part of the Telangana region, one need not resort to agitation. "It is as unnecessary issue," he said.
On the contrary, the Opposition, led by Telugu Desam Party, has questioned the need for changing the location when the Congress party had earlier agreed on Basar. "If there is any need for change in location, (we do not see that) they should have taken the approval of the Assembly since unanimous resolutions have been passed twice," Naidu said. The TDP has decided to support the intellectual forum formed for the purpose.
To recall, the state Assembly had twice (during Naidu's and Reddy's rule) passed unanimous resolutions and sent them to the Union government for sanction of the IIT to be set up at Basar. However, when the Centre sanctioned the IIT to Andhra Pradesh, the government (Reddy) changed its position saying that the institution required huge infrastructure, including power, water, transport etc.
"We have to provide infrastructure and facilities that are scalable, which is not possible in the backward Adilabad district. Hence, the government has decided to set up the IIT in Medak district" a senior official overseeing the process told FE.
Officials say that the chief minister's office is closely monitoring the project and helping the Medak collector in land acquisition and other related areas. The government needs to provide 600 acres to facilitate the Centre to set up the institute, as per the sanction letter. Since there is no government land available within the proximity of Hyderabad, the government is planning to provide Rs 3,000 crore to buy land from private land-owners, sources said. "The project is part of the 11th Plan period starting from the next fiscal. The state will procure land before the scheduled time," the sources said.
Meanwhile, professors from Kakatiya University (Warangal), who are leading the intellectual forum for a separate Telangana, argue that IIT Kharagpur, when it was set up, had no proper infrastructure, but it evolved later with active participation from the student and teacher communities.
Brushing aside infrastructure reasons cited by the government, the professors say IITs have produced brilliant students despite locational disadvantages. However, as the debate over the IIT's location rages in Andhra Pradesh, the government machinery seems determined to go ahead with its land acquisition plan.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Monday evening said the committee of experts looking into the pros and cons of the location of the proposed Indian Institute of Technology in the State and suggest which was better - Medak or Basar - would be released within a week. He also said that a '21st Century Gurukul' planned at Basar would take in about 300 students from the district alone, each year. "There is no guarantee as to the number of students from Adilabad district who could be admitted in the IIT if it came up at Basar, because it involves a national entrance examination," he added.
Dr. Reddy said the criticism by Opposition parties was uncalled for and the smear campaign against the Congress Government 'politically motivated.'
Source : Financial Express, Hindu
