Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani has informed Palakkad MP M.B. Rajesh that the process of establishing an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Palakkad is on track and a high-level meeting attended by Principal Secretaries of higher education in five States, including Kerala, will be held on November 5 to expedite the process of ‘identification and allotment’ of suitable land.
In a letter to Mr. Rajesh recently, Ms. Irani said she had written to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to identify at least two suitable sites. She had urged the State government to allot about 600 acres of land for the IIT free of cost. However, Ms. Irani said in her letter that she was awaiting the response of the Chief Minister. “The letter sought identification of suitable land with physical and social infrastructure. I am waiting for the response,’’ she said. There were reports earlier that there was delay on the part of the State government in identifying the land and sending the details to the Centre.
