TIRUPATI: Union Minister of Human Resource Development Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Tuesday advised the Andhra Pradesh government to first complete works related to major institutions before asking for Central funds, and added that the Centre has sanctioned 10 institutions, such as IIT, IIIT, IIM and AIIMS, and allotted Rs 10,000 crore to the State.
Speaking at the first Convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Tirupati at Yerpedu on Tuesday, Ramesh Pokhriyal said, “Andhra Pradesh is a newly-formed state. I know the State will be facing a lot of problems. But, it is the only State which got maximum number of Central institutions after it was formed in 2014.”
Commenting on the non-release of funds, he said: “When I reached here (IIT Tirupati), mediapersons asked me why the Central funds were not released to the State. Funds will be released once the works get completed. We are not giving loans. As these institutions belong to the Central government, the amount should be treated as grants.”
Thanking the State government for allotting 530 acres of land to the IIT, Ramesh Pokhriyal said the institution would be a matter of pride not only for the country, but also for the State, and appealed to the IITians to study issues in rural India and offer solutions. Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh said the State government, which has allotted `33,000 crore for education in the Budget, has been instrumental in implementing reforms in the sector.
He said the dictum of reforms was to create accountability in the teaching community towards students. Later, 104 students of the 2015-2019 batch received degrees from the dignitaries. The Central minister presented institute awards to five students. Earlier, he inaugurated Stage 1A (Transit) Campus in the presence of IIT Tirupati Director Prof KN Satyanaryana and Board of Governors’ chairman R Subrahmanyam, MP Balli Durga Prasada Rao and MLA B Madhusudhana Reddy.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of First Convocation of the IIT Tirupati, Adimulapu
Suresh alleged the previous government failed to complete the works related to the IIT. On water supply to the institute, he said an estimation of works worth `44 crore was sent to the Centre. The minister assured the pending works would be taken up once the grant was released.
Tirupati MP Balli Durga Prasada Rao and Srikalahasti MLA B Madhusudhana Reddy demanded that the Central Government allot quota to the locals for seats in IIT Tirupati. Addressing the media on the premises, the MP said: “It is heartening to see IIT Tirupati here. But there are no locals in the college. We have requested the minister to allot five per cent of seats to students from Andhra Pradesh.”