GUWAHATI, April 24 – Leading industrialist and chairman of the Birla Group, BK Birla, has today announced an investment of Rs 10 crore for setting up of a technical institute in the State. The business tycoon also assured more investments in the State in a phased manner to develop the education scenario.

Birla while talking to a section of newsmen also said that he is considering the idea of setting up well-equipped technical institutes in the State including an engineering institute to check the exodus of students from the region to other parts of the country to pursue higher and quality education.

Birla has, meanwhile, asked the State Government to allot 50 bighas of land for the same.

Earlier, State Education Minister Ripun Borah met the business tycoon and requested him to invest in the education sector, especially for the setting up of technical institutes, in which the State is lacking.

BK Birla was also accompanied by his wife Sarala Birla, a noted educationist, to inaugurate the new school building of Sarla Birla Gyan Jyoti in Amingaon today.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who also attended the inauguration function requested Birla Group to invest in the education sector for its promotion in the State and added that setting up of more and more technical institutes in the State would help the State to move forward.

“We are giving education topmost priority to the education sector as we want to emerge as a super power State in the entire country. We want to increase our knowledge power which would in turn increase our economic power,” Gogoi said.

Gogoi further added that the State Government is initiating steps to set up a separate Law University and an Institute for Science and Technology in the State.

The Chief Minister also appealed to the corporate sector to come up with more investment to uplift the higher education scenario in the State. “It is only to facilitate the growth of higher education that the Private University Act was passed,” Chief Minster opined.

“We are now encouraging the private-public partnership for the development of the various sectors in the State, for which the State Government would extend all possible help,” Gogoi asserted.

The Assam Tribune,25.04.2007