Lapang asks Centre to set up IIT in Meghalaya

Shillong, Aug 21 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang has urged the Centre to set up an IIT centre in th state and continue the liberal funding in education to keep the momentum of development of human resources.

''Despite economic backwardness, Meghalaya has achieved success in the field of education because of liberal funding from the Centre, besides the state's sincere efforts,'' Mr Lapang said, while addressing the Eighth Sectoral Summit of the NEC here yesterday.

''In order to keep the momentum the existing funding pattern should continue in the Eleventh Plan period too,'' he said adding that the proposed change in the funding pattern of the SSA from 75:25 to 50:50 in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan would have an adverse impact on the Northeastern(NE) states, including Meghalaya.

He said an additional 15 per cent grant might be given by DoNER.

Since this view was supported by all other NE states, the Union Minister for DoNER Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was presiding over the meeting, assured that he would convey the same to the Union Human Resource Development ministry for a favourable consideration.

The two-day summit focuses on issues pertaining to Education, Sports and Art and Culture in the Northeastern region.

Besides IIT, Mr Lapang's demand list included the setting up of one Polytechnic, one Engineering College, One Indian Institute of Information Technology, one Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, two centres for Excellence in Sports and one Yoga centre in the state.

He also urged the Centre to expedite the process of making the IIM functional here.

Besides, Mr Lapang, Meghalaya Governor BL Joshi, Minister for Elementary education Zenith Sangma and Meghalaya Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterje were among others, who attended the meeting.

UNI