PM lays foundation of two national institutes

Times of India, Feb 20, 2011
SIVASAGAR: Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday laid the foundations of the National Institute of Design (NID) and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (Assam centre) in Jorhat and Sivasagar districts respectively.

Addressing a gathering in Sivasagar, Singh said, "It is befitting that the institute has been named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, our beloved leader and former Prime Minister of India. His contribution to modernization and development of our country was immense. He believed that the application of science and technology was critical to our development process."

He added that the institute, which will be a world class establishment in the petro-chemical sector, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 148 crore from central funds. "The place will offer degree, diploma and certificate courses to unemployed youths of the state. It will also provide special research on a particular subject," he said.

The Prime Minister added that the institute's academic year will start from August this year. He said it was a centre of the main institute at Rae Barelly and its main objective was to promote capacity building in competency related to the domain of hydro carbon sector.

The institute is the first-of-its-kind promoted by oil majors like ONGC, IOCL, OIL, GAIL, HPCL, BPCL NRL and Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the aegis of the Union ministry of petroleum & natural gas.

"There is a high probability of petroleum production in Assam and the northeast. Several oil-related surveys have been conducted in this region and out of 25 new exploration blocks, 15 have been decided to set up in the state," he added.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who was also present, said, "Assam plays an important role in the production of oil across the country. The state's contribution to the oil sector is very important and therefore the Centre paid special importance to this region, particularly in the oil sector."

He added, "I request the Prime minister to hand over a few marginal fields to the Assam Hydrocarbon Energy." The CM also requested the Prime minister to construct another bridge on the Brahmaputra connecting Dissangmukh in Sivasagar district to Tekelifuta in Lakhimpur district. Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Jaipal Reddy said the construction work of this project will be complete by August 2013.