DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 12 (MExN): Commissioner & Secretary of the Department of Higher & Technical Education F.P Solo has responded to the statement issued by the Hovukhu Village Council, Niuland wherein the latter had questioned the move of the State government for shifting the site for the proposed National Institute of Technology (NIT) to Chumukedima. The Hovukhu Village council had also alleged that the “State bureaucrats with ulterior motives have mishandled the project and misguided the central authorities”.
The government has clarified and informed that through the D.C, Dimapur, an area measuring 300 acres of land at Hovukhu was acquired by the Sate Govt. in 2011 for setting up the NIT, Nagaland. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India were requested to inspect and take over the proposed site for establishing the campus of the NIT, Nagaland. “The State Govt. had also offered the abandoned Dimapur D.C. office complex, Chumukedima as temporary campus so that the institute could be started early for benefits of the students”, Solo stated.
In January 2012, MHRD, Govt. of India had constituted a Site Selection Committee under the Chairmanship of the then Special Secretary (Technical Education), Department of Higher Education, MHRD, Govt. of India with Director NIT, Nagaland and mentor Director, NIT, Nagaland as members to assess the suitability of the proposed site offered by the State Govt. The press note went on to state that the Site Selection Committee visited the proposed site at Hovukhu, Niuland and also the temporary site at Chumukedima on 14th and 15th January 2012.
“The proposed site at Hovukhu was found to be 45kms away from Dimapur town and about 5kms away from the main road crossing a small river with about 100ft wide temporary bamboo bridge. On the other hand, the Site Selection Committee found that the temporary campus at Chumukedima with about 12 buildings, 6 sheds and 1 hall was found to be only 2kms away from the main road and very close to Dimapur. Due to better air and rail connectivity and ready infrastructure to start the institute, the Committee recommended that the proposed temporary site at Chumukedima be made into permanent campus”.
The recommendation of the Site Selection Committee were placed before the Sate Cabinet which held its meeting on 16th January 2012, and approved the proposal for permanent location of the NIT, Nagaland at the erstwhile D.C. office complex, Chumukedima, stated the press note. It also informed that the State Cabinet also agreed to hand over 300 acres of land with the existing assets to the NIT on lease basis. The 300 acres of land alongwith the buildings and other infrastructure were accordingly handed over to the NIT authority by the Department on the same day i.e. on 16.01.12.
Meanwhile the government has clarified that the acquired 300 acres of land at Hovukhu was proposed to be utilized for setting up another National Technical Institute. The Chief Minister of Nagaland while requesting the Union Minister of Human Resource Development to inaugurate the NIT, Nagaland had also requested the Govt. of India to consider setting up of a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for Nagaland at the acquired site at Hovukhu, Niuland in the 12th Five year Plan on 13/02/12. “The request is proposed to be reiterated during the visit of the Hon’ble Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri. Kapil Sibal on 13/10/12”, the press note stated.
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