New Mexico offers tech for AP

Hyderabad, Mar 13 (UNI) A three-member delegation from a US state today offered to exchange technical knowhow with Andhra Pradesh in the areas of hydrology, irrigation, mining, watershed management and higher education.

Senators Carlos R Cisneros, Manny Aragon and Maniklal Patel who called on Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy at the Secretariat this evening said New Mexico, the fifth largest state in the US, was endowed with advanced learning centres offering sophisticated training modules.

They said they were happy to learn US President George W Bush and Presidential candidate John Kerry had met the Chief Minister during their visit to the Pearl City.

Welcoming the offer, Dr Reddy said the state government had decided to open three new universities in different parts of the state, an official press release here said.

The Telangana University in Nizamabad, Yogi Vemana University in Kadapa and Aadikavi Nannaya University in Rajahmundry will be set up soon.

The Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) was being implemented in select engineering colleges in the state with financial assistance from the Centre.

The programme met the target of achieving higher levels of excellence in technical education by providing modern equipment, faculty and curriculum development in 12 engineering colleges at a cost of Rs 150 crore.

He said the government had allocated Rs 1,448 crore for Higher and Technical Dducation Departments for the current year. The Chief Minister also explained about ''Jalayagnam'' and emphasis given to the farming sector.

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