Imphal, Aug 30: Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur has submitted memoranda to President, Prime Minister and Union Human Resource Development Minister for setting up Indian Information Technology (IIT) and Indian Information Management (IIM) centres in Manipur too.

Informing this while talking to mediapersons at the office of DESAM today, secretary of the student body LC Santosh said the memoranda have been submitted to redress the difficulties being faced by many of the students in Manipur as there are no such centres here.

The memoranda took note of the recent announcement made by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development for setting up 20 new IIT centres in different parts of the country during the 11th Give Year Plan and urged for setting up at least one such centre in Manipur along with opening a IIM centre here, Santosh disclosed.

It is really unfortunate for the people of Manipur that there is no such centres for pursuing higher studies in IT related fields when the whole world is today competing and reaping the fruits of unprecedented development in the information technology, he lamented.

In the absence of such centres, Manipuri students are compelled to go outside the State spending huge amount of money to pursue higher studies from IIT and IIM centres located in different parts of the country.

In such a situation, students from poor family background have been disheartened, he noted.

While blaming the policy markers on education in India of neglecting Manipur in the field of higher IT education sector, the student activist also charged the elected representatives of Manipur with lack of farsightedness and initiative in this regard.

Expressing surprise at the assertion of the State Government that there cannot be any development in Manipur due law and order problem, Santosh questioned whether peace is needed first to usher in development or development should take place first for peace to prevail.

When an IIT centre can be set up at insurgent-proned and disturbed place like Guwahati and an IIM centre at Shillong, why can't similar centres be opened in Manipur, he asked.

The copies of the memoranda have also been reportedly submitted to the Government and Chief Minister, MP (Inner) and Chief Secretary.

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