Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik writes to PM Modi for immediate establishment of NINEI

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for immediate establishment of the National Institute of New Energy and Innovation (NINEI) in the state.

Patnaik's letter to the prime minister comes after the ministry, on November 10, 2017, issued an order to close down the regional office at Bhubaneswar with immediate effect.

"I request you kindly intervene in the matter and issue instructions to commence construction of the National Institute of New Energy and Innovation at the earliest. May I also request you to kindly direct the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy to reopen the regional office at Bhubaneswar," Patnaik wrote to the prime minister.

"Closure of the regional office may hamper the progress of establishment of the National Institute of New Energy and Innovation at Bhubaneswar," Patnaik said in the letter.

Referring to his earlier letters to the prime minister regarding establishment of the Institute on February 5, 2016, on August 23, 2016 and on May 16, 2017, Patnaik said the state government has already allocated 73.68 acre land for the institute near IIT, Bhubaneswar.

In addition, one acre land has been identified in Bhubaneswar for the institute's city office, Patnaik pointed out.

"I would like to bring to your kind notice that the construction of the institute near IIT, Bhubaneswar has not yet been taken up despite grant of advance possession of the required land," Patnaik wrote.