Saying Jawaharlal Nehru's IIT vision has now reached Bhilai, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday held the ground breaking ceremony for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Bhilai.
Bhilai will be home to the country's 23rd IIT.
Crediting Nehru with starting a series of IITs, Baghel described the institution's arrival in Bhilai -- the town itself was a dream of India's first Prime Minister -- as "a momentous occasion".
He spoke after the ground breaking ceremony of the IIT Bhilai educational campus corridor and brick laying ceremony of a number of buildings.
Through IIT, research activities in the state will get a boost. It will benefit the iron-based industries. If the IIT carries out research on cost cutting in production, it will be beneficial to the industries, said the Chief Minister.
He added that like Chhattisgarh, IIT should develop such research models based on agriculture that will help other agro-based economy-dependent states. He hoped that the IIT premises will be completed by 2022.
The Chief Minister said life changes using technology. Earlier, aluminum was costly but now it is available with ease. Similarly, electronic watches were costly but were now available at a cheap price.
With IIT, there is immense possibility of development in Chhattisgarh, he pointed out.
Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu said with IIT, new avenues of progress will be opened.
IIT Bhilai Director Rajat Moona said in the first phase 18 lecture hall and class rooms will be built. The Engineering and Science departments, library and ITIL building and observatory tower will be constructed long with three hostels and three residential towers.
The Chief Minister laid the bricks for super-structure, unveiled a plaque and a 3-D model of the Institute.