Govt now proposes site in Pernem for IIT

Panaji: The Goa government has proposed a site in Pernem for setting up of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in the state.

Sources in the administration informed on Saturday that a related file has been moved by the revenue department, proposing a site in Pernem for the setting up of the project.

This is the fourth site that has been proposed by the government for setting up the IIT campus.

After Goa was allotted IIT by the central government in 2016, the state government had first proposed a site at Loliem in Canacona for setting up the prestigious national institute. However, it was scrapped following opposition by locals.

Later, in 2018, the state government proposed a site at Cotarlim in Sanguem taluka. While the process was on to settle issues related to the land in Sanguem, the state cabinet, in August 2019, took a decision to shift the IIT project to Shel Melaulim in Guleli village panchayat in Sattari taluka.

However, the proposed IIT project at Shel Melaulim was strongly opposed by the villagers despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who is the Valpoi MLA, constantly stating that the project would come up there. Even as the locals remained firm on their demand to shift the project out of Shel Melaulim, the government made attempts to suppress the agitation against the project by using police force. However, with mounting support to the people of Shel Melaulim from across the state, in January 2021 the Sawant-led government announced shifting of the IIT project from Sattari.

Since then, the government was in the process of identifying an alternative site. After a gap of four months, the government has now proposed a site in Pernem for the IIT.