Tathya.in: Rejection enrages Naveen

Bhubaneswar:9/May/2007
It seems Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has not taken kindly the decision of the Central government in ruling out to set up an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Orissa.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Mrs. D Purandeshwari’s statement on the floor of the Lok Sabha on May 8, reportedly has enraged Naveen, said sources.

That is why CM has decided to once again raise the issue of IIT with the Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh.

A source in CMO told tathya.in that Naveen has sought an appointment with Mr.Singh in the next week.

CM is visiting New Delhi on May 13. During the meeting he will raise the issue of IIT and a Central University in KBK, said sources.

Out right rejection of the Orissa’s proposal for an IIT has not only enraged CM but also the people of Orissa have reacted sharply.

Large section of Non Resident Oriya (NRO) has raised their voice against the discrimination of Orissa by the Central Government.

Charting out details of investment by HRD Ministry in the country,leading NRO Chitta Baral of Arizona State University has brought home a point that Orissa remains in the lowest spot so far funding is concerned.

The statistics shows that the HRD Ministry was scheduled to spend Rs 4.07 on fully funded HRD institutions (like IITs, IIMs, etc.) per person in Orissa, while it will spend Rs 183.08 in Delhi, Rs 41.20 in West Bengal, Rs 33.4 in Karnataka, Rs 27 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 28.38 in Maharastra, Rs 17.73 in UP, Rs 16.05 in Andhra, Rs 33.27 in Punjab, Rs 8.13 in Haryana, Rs 7.90 in Kerala, Rs 9.02 in MP, Rs 4.87 in Gujurat, Rs 2.59 in Rajasthan, and Rs 1.87 in Bihar.

In other words Bihar, Rajasthan and Orissa were at the bottom of per-capita spending by the HRD Ministry in its fully funded higher education institutions, he said.

Professor Baral said that an IIT will go a long way to provide high quality technical expertise to the rapidly industrialized Orissa for which CM must take up the issue at Central government level.

Dhirendra Kar, Vice President of Orissa Society of Americas (OSA), who is equally vociferous over the issue of IIT has lauded the efforts of our Members of Parliament (MP)s and requested them to carry out sustained campaign for the demand.

Mr.Kar has also criticized Union HRD Minister Mr.Singh’s double standard. While on one hand he is following the policy of appeasement on political grounds on the other he sermons the maxim of equitability in investment by HRD Ministry across India.