CM and others react with disappointment over no IIT to Orissa in the budget
March 1st, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, on the other hand, described the budget as “disappointing” for a backward state like Orissa.
… Alleging that the sanction of an IIT was made on political considerations, Orissa’s “genuine” demand was ignored.
Following is from a report in the Statesman.
Orissa has once again been deprived of an IIT as political considerations seem to have governed such decisions remarked ruling BJD-BJP circles here today while reacting to the budget.
… State finance minister Mr Prafulla Chandra Ghadei was also critical of the budget and said "it may cause further inflation" adding "the loan waiver is a pre-poll populist measure which does not make economic sense at all". Mr Ghadei said "the state was not only denied an IIT but was also deprived of additional funds and coverage of the Backward Region Grant Fund scheme".
Following is from a report in Pioneer.
Launching a scathing attack on the Centre for neglecting the cause of Orissa, Patnaik said IIT seems to have done with political consideration. "There has been no scheme for the welfare of the tribal people," he said. Orissa had earlier demanded an IIT for the State and the Chief Minister wrote a number of letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh. But without conceding to the demands of the Orissa Government, the Centre announced setting up of IITs in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
…. Industry Minister BB Harichandan said this Budget was made keeping elections in mind. The Union Government has adopted a stepmotherly attitude towards the State while announcing setting up a number of IITs.
Following is from one New Indian Express report.
NCP convenor Bijay Mohapatra described the Budget as pro-farmer. The relief given to the farmers is a bold step, he said. The extension of NREGS to all districts and increased allocation under the BRGF will benefit the underdeveloped district. Except for not announcing an IIT for Orissa, the Finance Minister has catered to all sections.
He, however, said the Centre should have considered the demand for the establishment of an IIT in Orissa.
Following is from another New Indian Express report.
Even as Finance Minister P. Chidambaram dished out a populist Budget in an election year, Orissa missed out on several key announcements as usual.
What has hurt it most is that the Centre has once again ignored its demand for establishment of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) even as Chidambaram announced three IITs to be set up in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh
See also the story in Tathya.in.
Entry Filed under: IIT, oDishA
1 Writeup
1. R. K. Ghosh | March 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Was n’t it expected? Surprise element is there when you find something that is not expected. I think Orissa needs to help itself. After becoming Chief Minister of UP, the first task Mayawati did is to announce Kanshiram Institute of Science and already allocated land for the same. She also announced a technical institute at part with IIT level infrastructure and support. If the state has a political will many things can be done at state level itself. Orissa can create an environment which will force Central govt to engage itself. Even existing universities and institutes (Ravenshaw, Utkal, Institute of Mathematics) all are languishing. Why Orissa govt can not upgrade these institutions?