Bihar is set to get an Indian Institute of Technology and an Indian Institute of Management following the persistent efforts of railway minister Lalu Prasad.
Prasad has managed to convince HRD minister Arjun Singh to sanction the two prestigious institutes in his home state, sources close to the railway minister said. The engineering institute is likely to be set up in Chapra, Prasad's parliamentary constituency. This is the minister's second gift to Chapra after a rail factory was earlier sanctioned. The management institute is likely to be established at Gaya.
Prasad, according to sources, raised the issue in a meeting with Singh who agreed to his proposal to set up the two institutes in the state. To further boost educational development in the country, Planning Commission has proposed a sharp increase in the allocation for education during its 11th five-year plan (2007-2012) which includes setting up seven IITs and seven IIMs during the plan period.
At the meeting of the full Planning Commission on November 8 to approve the 11th five-year plan, Prasad had made a strong pitch for his home state.
At the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he demanded an IIT and IIM in the state, at least one polytechnic institute in each district and awarding central university status to Patna University.
