Legislators demand IIT in Belgaum

 More than 120 MLAs and MLCs signed a memorandum addressed to the Union Human Resources minister demanding the establishment of IIT at Belgaum.

Earlier in the week, MLA Abhay Patil had convened a meeting of educational experts, technocrats and experts for exploring the possibility of establishment of IIT at Belgaum. During the meet, all the members unanimously agreed to pursue the establishment of IIT here and also garner political will.

More than 120 MLAs and MLCs on Friday signed a memorandum demanding establishment of IIT, MLA Abhay Patil told Deccan Herald from Bangalore.

The memorandum stated that, higher technical education is a key element of the emerging knowledge economy and Belgaum known as knowledge city with well connectivity, industrial growth, social and pleasant environment with cosmopolitan culture, was suitable for the establishment of IIT.

Belgaum city well connected with roadways, railways and air, is situated on the national highway quadrangular network and was at 500 kilometre equidistant from Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad, and 130 kilometre from Goa. State government has conducted two winter sessions of the State Legislature at Belgaum and Suvarna Soudha structure, a replica of Vidhana Soudha at Bangalore, is coming up at a cost of Rs 250 crore, here.

The city is located on the border of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, with a cosmopolitan environment and students from overseas and Non Resident Indians are pursuing their education here, the memorandum said.