Sambalpur people under the banner of the Paschimanchal People’s Forum (PPF) on Monday reiterated their demand for establishment of the proposed Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Odisha in Sambalpur.
“The IIM should be established at Sambalpur for the greater interests of the State in view of regional balance,” PPF members said at a meeting held in the Samaleswari temple premises.
They also demanded that the Prime Minister and the Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister take immediate steps for establishing both temporary and permanent campus of the IIM at Sambalpur.
“There is no dearth of appropriate classrooms and atmosphere for running of IIM temporary classes here. The SUIIT campus inside the Jyoti Vihar is the most sophisticated campus that can be considered for the temporary classes,” they said.
“As the last date for admission to IIM courses completed today, it is obvious for the people here to express concern since they don’t want to lose this institute of national repute. Sambalpur should get it as there are lot many such institutes in Bhubaneswar,” said PPF convenor Sapan Kumar Mishra.
Former Brahmapur University Vice-Chancellor Prof Aditya Prasad Padhi presided over the meeting where in people cutting across party lines decided to keep up taking efforts to get the IIM.
They decided to send innumerable letters to the PMO and HRD Ministry through faxes and emails placing their demands, which include publication of a notification for admission into the IIM as was done for six newly-opened IIMs at different place of the country, Mishra informed.
Criticising the BJP-led Central Government for not responding to the State Government’s recommendation for Sambalpur as IIM site, they warned, “The only option left before us is to go for indefinite agitation against the Centre and to boycott its leaders.”