First IIT Batch In Himachal To Start In 2009-10 – Dhumal

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Shimla: The first session of IIT at Mandi would begin from academic year 2009-10, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal stated here on Friday.

Speaking to the media, the chief minister said that the central human resource development ministry had informed the state that a batch of 120 students would start the IIT Himachal institute from the 2009-10 session.

Circulating a letter to the affect, he said that 40 students each for B Tech course in mechanical, electrical and computer science & engineering would be admitted for the inaugural session.

The temporary accommodation provided would suffice for starting the new institute for the time being.

The government was hopeful that the site zeroed upon by the state for locating the institute would be accepted by the institute authorities and the new IIT campus would come up on it.

The chief minister informed that central aviation minister Praful Patel had assured him that the Air India flight to Kullu would not be discontinued.

“We have provided them a detailed plan of how Air-India flights covering Kangra, Shimla and Kullu could be turned profitable,” the chief minister said. It would help to provide daily air connectivity to the state, he added.

The chief minister also said that the central agriculture ministry had released an additional 3000 MT quota of rice for the state after the government had pointed out a reduction in the state quota allocation.

We have asked for it to be a regular measure and not just a one time one as rice was an important grain in the diet of the state residents.

The chief minister also went on to inform that work on the proposed ESI hospital in Mandi was moving fast and preliminary drawings of the project had already been drawn up.