Andhra Pradesh identifying sites for proposed educational institutes

Rajahmundry (AP): Andhra Pradesh Minister P Narayana on Tuesday said the Centre has sanctioned 11 prestigious national level institutions for Andhra Pradesh in wake of the State's bifurcation.

Post division of Andhra Pradesh, most of the prestigious educational and research institutes have gone to Telangana, which came into existence on June 2.

A process was on to identify suitable sites for setting up these institutions across the 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh, the Municipal Administration Minister said.

Narayana, accompanied by East Godavari District Collector Neetu Prasad, on Tuesday inspected a plot of land, spread over 57 acres, at Cholangi in Karapa mandal for setting up a petroleum university.

"Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014 the Centre has sanctioned 11 national-level institutions like IIM, AIIMS, IIIT, IIT, IISC, NIT, petroleum, tribal and agriculture universities to new (Residuary) Andhra Pradesh," the Minister said.

"The Government is identifying lands in all districts for setting up these institutions in Andhra Pradesh," he said. Tribal university will be set up in Srikakulam or Vizinagaram district, IIM in Visakhapatnam, petroleum varsity in East Godavari district, agricultural or central university in West Godavari district, AIIMS in Krishna and Guntur, IIT in Chittoor and NIT in Kurnool, Narayana said.

He said the Central Government will allocate funds after sites are identified and finalised. Narayana, who heads a State Government panel on building a new capital city, said priority will be given to the city where Government lands are available.