Visakhapatnam: After losing the capital status, Vizag had lost a premier institute to Krishna district. Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) which was earlier planned at Vizag has now been shifted to Kondapalli in Krishna district. Vizag had already lost the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) which were earlier proposed here, to East Godavari district.

A team from IIPM had also visited Vizag in 2014 and the local administration had also earmarked a site at Asakapalli for the institute. All these institutes were pursued by Vizag MP K. Haribabu to be set up in Vizag. It was in December, 2014 that the IIPM authorities replied to Mr Haribabu on the status of the institute. The feasibility reports by both IIP and IIPM, along with the proposals, seeking infrastructure and financial assistance for long term operations, were submitted to the state government.

While IIPM had submitted its feasibility report and proposals to the state government in December, 2014 after its board meeting held in October, the IIP had sent the feasibility report to AP government in January, 2015. Interestingly, after October, 2014 board meeting, the IIPM again, in its board meeting held in January, 2016, changed the location to Kondapalli. “The Board of Governors of the IIPM have recommended the proposal for opening a centre of IIPM at Vijayawada in their 44th board meeting held on January 11, 2016.

Accordingly, a proposal has been submitted by the IIPM to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for establishment the Centre of IIPM at Kondapalli in Vijayawada. The Government of India has received the proposals for setting up of Centre of Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) and Centre of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. To establish an institute, the state and central government should go for extensive consultations and co-ordination for which a specific timeline cannot be given,” said Union minister of state for commerce and industry, Nimala Sitaraman in reply to an unstarred question raised by Mr Haribabu in Lok Sabha recently. “It is unfortunate that all the institutes pursued by the people of Vizag were taken out of the city,” said VDC co-convener O. Naresh Kumar.