With the increasing demand to set up IIM in Western Odisha, the State Govt. recommended two places in sambalpur to the Center
for setting up the permanent campus of the proposed educational institution based on a report of Sambalpur Collector.
The two sites are in Dhankouda and Jujumura blocks of the district. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to the Centre on March 2 for setting up IIM at Sambalpur in response to Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s letter seeking opinion of the State Government for establishment of the institute in Western Odisha.
In the letter, the Chief Minister had said if the Centre is willing to relax guidelines for site selection, the State Government would strongly recommend Sambalpur as the location of the IIM.
Earlier, the HRD Ministry, as per its guideline, had asked the State Government to identify locations for the IIM close to an airport. The State Government had restricted its choice to places in and around Bhubaneswar while making recommendations.
The State Government had recommended two places on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar for establishment of the IIM. The site selection committee of the HRD Ministry had also visited the two sites and recommended its findings. It remains to be seen whether the Centre relaxes its guidelines for setting up the premier educational institution in view of the fresh recommendation made by the State Government.
