New Delhi: Parliament today passed a bill for establishing the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Andhra Pradesh, on a day MPs of the ruling TDP from the state staged a protest to demand special category status.
The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was passed by Rajya Sabha by voice vote. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on July 21.
The bill aims at establishing the NIT in Andhra Pradesh as an institute of national importance.
Replying to a debate on the Bill, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar assured the House that there would be no dearth of funds for establishing the NIT in Andhra Pradesh.
“It is really a fulfilment (of promise),” he said against the backdrop of demands by TDP, an ally of ruling NDA, and some other parties for grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
“Let me remind my good friend Jairam Ramesh that it is not after two years we are starting, the second batch is already there. So the institute was formed but the bill, we are passing today,” Javadekar said.
“So the action has already started and as far as funding is concerned there will be no dearth of funding,” he added.
Stating that Rs 40 crore has been provided in the Budget for this NIT in AP as token, he said the DPR (detailed project report) would be ready in two months.
“As soon it is there, the funds will be immediatly released and granted. So there will be no dearth of funding let me tell you,” the minister said.
On concern raised by some members over inadequate number of faculties, Javadekar said the government is making efforts to fill vacancies in all top institutes like IITs and NITs.
“It is true that in even in country’s premier institutes there is no 100 per cent faculty that is the truth and its a national mission…Still in NITs 75 per cent faculty is working and rest 25 per cent is not there.
“We are taking as a drive in IITs, NITs and all top institutes even in primary schools. Vacancy is a big problem and we should try to get trained faculties. There is good tendency that people want to become teachers aand we will also come with a concrete plan to so as to have trained faculty,” Javadekar said.
The minister informed the House that funding for NITs is increasing every year from Rs 2,100 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2,645 crore this year.
“So its rising and I want to ensure that there will be no dearth of funds as far as projects, teaching, research is concerned.
“For all top isntitutes there is requirement of large amount of funding. In natural course of action you cant provide it..so we are working on a new initiative FM has already announed in the Budget,” Javadekar said. .