Smriti Irani lays foundation stone of IIM Visakhapatnam

New Delhi: Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani said on Saturday that a task force would be constituted soon to expedite setting up of Central education institutes, as assured in the state reorganization act, in Andhra Pradesh.

Irani laid the foundation stone of a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Gambhiram village in Anandapuram mandal of Visakhapatnam district.

Irani's assurance came in response to a request made by the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The NDA government was committed to bring in best of the reforms in the education sector, she said.

Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who was also present on the occasion, said the economic reforms were "the need of the hour".

The new IIM would produce world-class professionals and the state will become a knowledge hub in future with the efforts of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, he said.

Chief Minister Naidu earlier said education was a priority sector for his government. He reminded the Centre about provision in the Andhra Pradesh reorganisation act, and said it had assured that 11 Central educational institutions, including IIT, NIT, Petroleum University, etc., would be set in the residual AP state. Development of Visakhapatnam IIM will be entrusted to the IIM -Bangalore, the Chief Minister said.