NIPER in Nagpur to receive funding of Rs 600 crore from the Centre

Maharashtra: NIPER, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, will finally find its place in Nagpur after a wait of over a year. The centre is expected to release a sum of Rs 600 crore to set up the 100 acres institution in the city.

During an interaction with media in Mumbai, the minister for chemicals and fertilizers Ananth Kumar accompanied by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister for state for chemicals and fertilizers Hansraj Ahir confirmed the news. Union minister Arun Jaitley had announced in last year's budget that NIPER is likely to come up in Nagpur.

The proposal is now awaiting a state cabinet nod, after which the work would start on setting up the institute in the six months.

NIPERs have so far been established in Ahmedabad, Hajipur (Bihar), Hyderabad, Kolkata, Rae Bareli and Guwahati. However, this is Maharashtra's first NIPER. It reportedly got entangled in a location fight between Nagpur, and other cities including, Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad.

Also, the education minister Vinod Tawde wanted to establish two NIPERs, probably at Aurangabad and Nashik.

Joint director for higher and technical education department Gulab Thakre in his statement implied that a proposal of land identified near Mohgaon on Amravati road has been submitted to the government. It is a location about 20 kms from the Nagpur city. There were other locations also searched for the purpose like Hingn. However, Amravati road has been shortlisted as the final choice.

While speaking to TOI recently, ex-principal secretary for higher and technical education Sanjay Chahande diverted all queries related to land to Revenue Department stating it was pending with them. "We are making best of efforts to set up all national level institutions," he said.