Batala's institute to become Regional Centre

New Delhi, May 5: Batala-based Institute of Machine Tool Technology (IMTT) in Punjab will be upgraded into a Regional Centre.

A recommendation to this effect has been made by the parliamentary standing committee on commerce in its 81st report tabled in the Lok Sabha this week.

The panel urged for an early action to upgrade the institute so that it could serve industries in and around the region.

Reviewing functioning of Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), the panel noted that number of beneficiaries of industries served by CMTI has been declining over the years, adding as against 846 beneficiaries in 2002-03, the number came down to 665 in 2005-06 and 525 in nine months ended December 2006.

Dubbing the decline ''disturbing'', particularly when industrial manufacturing has been showing substantial growth, the parliamentary committee felt ''something is missing so far as serving of industrial customer is concerned''.

Describing CMTI a premier institute, the panel said it should maintain its leadership in all areas of its activities. It suggested the institute to ensure ready availability of technologies needed by the industry.

UNI