Karnataka, which has been waiting for the last three decades to have an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), may have to wait for some more time to realise its dream.
Though a month has passed since the Centre decided to set up the IIT in Dharwad, an official notification has not been issued so far. The ongoing controversy over the selection of the location, which reached the peak with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah writing to the Centre recommending shifting the location from Dharwad to Raichur, is learnt to have prompted the Centre to defer its final decision.
According to sources, the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry deferred the process of placing the matter before the Union Cabinet as the controversy over the location has taken a political turn.
The matter was expected to be brought up before the last meeting of the Union Cabinet. But it was not placed as the HRD Ministry opted to wait for some more time in the wake of the Chief Minister’s letter. However, matters related to the cost of setting up the new IITs and others came up before the Cabinet meeting, but not the issue of location for the IIT in Karnataka, the sources added.
Though the Centre would bear the entire cost of setting up the IIT, the State has to provide land. The process of handing over land to the Centre would begin only after the Union Cabinet approves the location and a gazette notification is issued. However, delay in getting the Cabinet approval would delay further procedures, the sources added.
Dharwad Deputy Commissioner P. Rajendra Cholan told The Hindu that in the absence of any official communication on Dharwad being chosen for establishment of the new IIT, the district administration has not moved further on the issue.
CM’s letter prompts Centre to defer Cabinet decision
