Karnataka, which has been waiting for 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, no official notification has been issued so far. The ongoing controversy over the selection of the location, which reached a 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, considering the controversy over the selection of the location taking a political turn, has deferred the process of placing the matter before the Union Cabinet. The matter was expected to be brought up before the last meeting of the Union Cabinet. But it was not placed as the Ministry opted to wait in the wake of the Chief Minister’s letter seeking relocation. However, matters related to the cost of setting up the new IITs and others came up before the Cabinet meeting, but not the issue related to the IIT in the State, the sources added.
Though the Centre would bear the entire cost of setting up the IIT, the State has to provide the required land. The process of handing over the land to the Centre would begin only after the Union Cabinet approves of the location and a gazette notification is issued. However, delay in getting the Cabinet approval would delay all further procedures, the sources added.
Dharwad Deputy Commissioner P. Rajendra Cholan told The Hindu that in the absence of any official communication regarding Dharwad being chosen for establishment of the new IIT, the district administration did not make any further move.
The Department of Higher Education had earlier asked for an estimate for setting up the transit campus at Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) in Dharwad. But there was no further communication, Mr. Cholan said.
In the absence of any official communication, the district administration has not made any further move in the matter
P. Rajendra Cholan,
Dharwad Deputy Commissioner
