“I am happy that the Sikkim Government has allocated a quality land measuring 100 acre at Khamdong, East Sikkim for constructing NIT campus” said Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education in a press conference held at Gangtok.
Union Minister of State for Education, Dr. Subhas Sarkar is on official visit to Sikkim. The press conference was called by Education Department in a hotel at Gangtok on October 24. While speaking to media Union Minister informed about the NIT Sikkim to be functional within three years and the construction of Sikkim Central University campus located at Yangang South Sikkim to be completed in next two and a half years.
He informed that Rs. 500 crore has been set aside for the construction of NIT in Sikkim. The construction work of the campus will commence shortly after fulfilling all the official formalities, he added.
NIT campus was established in the year 2010 temporarily at Ravangla, South Sikkim. Later, state government decided to shift the campus to Khamdong, East Sikkim and 100 acre of land worth Rs. 26 crore was allocated for the proposed project.
Union Minister further informed that the fund for the construction of the campus will be released by centre government once the pending paperwork and formalities of the land are completed.
Union Minister also spoke about the overall development of the construction of Sikkim Central University. He stated that the first phase construction of the central university has been completed at the cost of Rs. 98 crore and an Expression of Interest for the second phase for Rs. 300 crore has also been published. “We hope to complete the construction within the next two and a half years and shift the campus to Yangang” he added.
An official from the Sikkim State Education Department further added that the transferring of 90 acre of land has already been done, the funds have also been allocated by the central government, if no calamity occurs the construction of the NIT will be completed in two and half years and thus the campus will be immediately shifted to the permanent location thereafter.
After the Union Minister’s visit it becomes much clear that the premiere institutes of NIT and Sikkim Central University will soon have its permanent campus in the state.
Sikkim University, the lone central university in Sikkim, operates at several hired buildings in the capital city Gangtok.