Par nod to bill to declare 4 NIDs as institutes of national importance

The Parliament on Tuesday gave its nod to a Bill seeking to declare the National Institutes of Design (NIDs) in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Haryana as institutions of national importance.

The National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was approved by the Lok Sabha after the House rejected amendments moved by Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy that West Bengal's institute should be included in the bill.

During a division of votes pressed by Roy, his amendment was rejected with 93 members voting against it and only 23 in favour.

The Bill was later approved by voice vote. It has already been cleared by the Rajya Sabha.

Piloting the Bill, Minister of State for Commerce Som Prakash said that all the four NIDs are functioning and imparting quality education like the well-known NID at Ahmedabad.

The amendments will allow the four institutions to grant degrees and diplomas to the students.

Currently, these institutes are registered as Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and do not have the power to grant degrees or diplomas, the Minister said.

The National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on July 30 and was later passed by voice vote in the Upper House.

The Bill seeks to amend the National Institute of Design Act, 2014.

Participating in the discussion, Shashi Tharoor (Congress) emphasised the need to encourage 'Design in India' along with the 'Make in India' programme.

He wanted to know from the government the criteria for declaring an entity an institute of national importance.

Abubhav Mohanty (BJD-Odisha) and Ravindranath Kumar (AIADMK) and H Vasanthakumar (Congress), both from Tamil Nadu, demanded setting up of NITs in their state.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) said the money allocated to the NIDs is too less and has to be increased. He stressed the need to involve industry in these institutes to better cater to the needs of consumers.

The resignation of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also found its reference during the discussion.

Saugata Roy (TMC) announced that Fadnavis has resigned to which BJP members said they were glad that he was happy over this.

Hanuman Beniwal (RLP), a BJP ally, said the Congress should worry about its governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.