The Goa government has finalized the location for the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa, which has been operating from a temporary campus for the past few years, according to a state minister on oct 19.

State Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai told PTI from the site, which is about 80 kilometres from the state capital Panaji that a plateau in Rivona hamlet in South Goa has been finalized for the IIT Goa project, according to deccan herald.

"Last week, the state government made a decision on the land." This 10 lakh square metre plot of land in Rivona is excellent for the project. "The land, which belongs to a private party, is flat and thus suitable for constructing the infrastructure required for the IIT campus," he said.

The government had previously encountered fierce opposition to the initiative. Following residents' protests, the proposed IIT Goa campus project was moved out of Shel-Melavali village in Sattari taluka of North Goa in January 2021. Following that, the government identified another location in Cortalim, but had to abandon the plan due to local opposition.

When questioned if the government had taken any steps in response to the past opposition, Phal Desai stated, "This time, we have already taken all the local people into confidence, and they have given their go-ahead for the project." According to him, the establishment of the IIT campus will contribute in the growth of the region.

"The IIT Goa campus will change the face of the village by creating jobs and business opportunities for the locals." The administration and staff of IIT Goa have agreed to give preference to locals in lower-level positions,'' the minister remarked