Japan to help in setting up IIT

Times of India, Aug 9, 2007

PATNA: Lord Buddha has smiled on Bihar, the land where he gained enlightenment. The Japanese government is willing to lend a helping hand in the establishment of the proposed IIT at Bihta in Patna district in view of the state's close affinity with Lord Buddha.

"The Union HRD ministry has already made recommendations for technological collaboration with Japan for setting up the proposed IIT in Bihar," state science and technology commissioner Ajay Kumar Thakur said. Japanese PM Shinzo Abe will be handed over a proposal to this effect on his arrival to India on August 21, he added.

The Japanese premier, during his visit in April 2005, had himself proposed to extend help in the establishment of an IIT in India. Last year, the Union cabinet approved setting up of new IITs in India in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar.

While the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan lobbied hard for the Japanese help for setting up IITs in their respective states, the Bihar government lagged behind in locating the requisite 500 acres of land. Furthermore, it did not even lobby for the Japanese help. Incidentally, the land in Bihar is being acquired from 130 farmers. As many as 120 of them have already given their consent in this regard.

"Japanese collaboration means inflow of funds and latest technology. Also, the Japanese experts could extend their expertise and technologies in other fields as well," Thakur said. He pointed out that all the IITs in India had collaborations with either USA, UK or Germany. With the Japanese collaboration, the IIT to be built in Bihar will have a definite edge over the other two IITs to be built in the other two states.