ratan IIIT
File photo of Tripura Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath

The Tripura Government has approved Rs 50.67 crores for setting up an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bodhjungnagar, around 12 km from Agartala.

This was announced by State Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath while interacting with the media in Agartala on Thursday.

Coming down heavily on the erstwhile Left Front government, Nath said that the institution was sanctioned by the Central Government as Public Private Partnership (PPP) venture way back in 2012.

However, it was stalled for six years due to pending fund clearance from the State during previous Left Front government regime, he added.

The State Education Minister further said that the IIIT would be constructed on a 52.08 acres land at Bodhjunagar.

The plot of land has already been identified and earmarked, the minister added.

The institute is aimed at boosting quality education and employment skills and would be set up with a total project cost of Rs 128 crore.

Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the Centre would provide Rs 73.60 crores while Rs 44.80 crores would be funded by the State.

Private partners in the project were expected to chip in Rs 9.60 crores. However, the project is falling short of Rs 5.82 crores from private partners.

“We have decided to fund the deficit amount from the state exchequer and provide a cumulative funding of Rs 50.67 crores,” Nath added.