IIT, IIM, 3 central varsities for Seemandhra

NEW DELHI: The HRD Ministry has given its nod for an IIT, an IIM and three central universities among other institutes for the Seemandhra region which has witnessed widespread resentment over the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

The Ministry has conveyed its decision to the Home Ministry which had forwarded representations made by different stakeholders to it earlier in response to the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana inviting suggestions on bifurcation of the state.

The decision would be placed before the GoM for consideration, sources in the Ministry said. The ministry has also cleared an IISER and an IIIT for the region.

The move is aimed at striking a balance between the two regions -- Telangana and Seemandhra -- as far as establishment of premier institutes are concerned, though the end objective is to ensure that students derive maximum benefit, they said.

Rough estimate suggests an investment in the range of Rs 6000 to Rs 7000 crore for establishment of the institutes in the Seemandhra region.

The ministry's decision assumes significance as the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will leave the Seemandhra region without any of the elite higher educational institutes which are mostly concentrated in Hyderabad in the Telangana region.

HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju represents the Kakinanda constituency in Seemandhra.

In their representation, various stakeholders had suggested that all central institutions in Seemandhra should be backed by a bill and all national parties should sign it.

"Most of the highly developed educational institutions are going to the state of Telangana. The Centre should immediately grant the above said institutions and they should come into operation within a year," the representations said.

In its October 19 meeting, the GoM had fixed November 5 as the last day for receiving suggestions on bifurcation of the state from public, including political parties and public representatives.

The panel would submit its report to the Union Cabinet before the winter session of Parliament.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is heading the high- powered committee with Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister A K Antony, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M Veerappa Moily and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh as members.

Minister of State for Personnel and Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy is a special invitee to the panel.