PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday announced that the State has proposed government-owned land at Farmagudi for setting up a permanent campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa.
Speaking to media persons, Sawant said that the land near Goa College of Engineering (GEC) has been proposed to the Centre and the same would be finalized once their team visits and examines it.
As earlier reported by The Goan, the government has identified around 4.5 lakh square metres of land within the GEC campus and has submitted a fresh proposal to the Centre for approval.
The Union Ministry of Education has relaxed the earlier requirement of 10 lakh square metres of land for setting up an IIT, following a request from the State government. This has paved the way for reconsidering smaller, more feasible land parcels for the project.
Meanwhile, the government has constituted nine-member committee headed by the South Goa District Collector, to address all issues related to the land identified for the permanent campus.
As per the notification issued by Under Secretary (Revenue) Vrushika Khauthankar, the committee has been tasked with assessing the feasibility of the identified land for the IIT campus. It will also verify land ownership and records of rights, and, wherever required, initiate negotiations with landowners for acquisition.
The other members of the committee include the Director of Technical Education, Director of Settlement and Land Records, Director of Agriculture, Chief Town Planner, Deputy Conservator of Forests, South District Registrar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Ponda), and a representative from IIT Goa.
