New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on 24 October 2017 approved a Rs. 7,002 crore plan for construction of permanent campuses for six new IITs, to be completed by 31 March 2020. Each campus will have facility for housing 1,200 students, beginning from the academic year 2020-2021.
Currently, these institutions are functioning from temporary campuses with a total strength of 1,530 students. After construction of the campuses, this strength will go up to 7,200.
The Finance Minister in his Budget Speech 2014-15 had announced establishment of five new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa and Chhattisgarh. Further, in the Budget Speech 2015-16,establishment of an IIT in Karnataka was announced.
In pursuance to the Budget announcements, the academic sessions in IITs at Tirupati and Palakkad started in 2015-16 and in IITs at Dharwad, Bhilai, Jammu and Goa in 2016-17, from their respective temporary campuses.
Background
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for construction of the permanent campuses was prepared by a team from Mentor Institutes of these IITs, according to which Rs. 20304.88 cr. were solicited for construction of the permanent campuses over a period of 7 years.
After consultation with NITI Aayog, DST, DSIR, MEITY and D/o Expenditure, this proposal was considered by EFC in its meeting held on 17-7-2017. The EFC recommended Phase-A of the proposal at an outlay of Rs. 7002.42 cr. for 3 years beginning 2017-18.
The EFC also gave in-principle approval for the Phase-B at a cost of Rs. 13306.46 cr. over a period of 4 years beginning 2020-21. Approval for Phase-B will be taken up after reviewing the progress under Phase-A. The funds remaining unspent out of those approved for temporary campuses will be subsumed in the cost of Phase-A.
Accordingly, approval of the Cabinet was sought for:
Establishment of permanent campuses of the six IITs at a total cost of Rs.7002.42 cr. over a period of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20 under Phase-A.
Creation of the post of Director and Registrar in each of these IITs in line with the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961.
