President returns bill on technology institute, seeks changes

New Delhi: Asking the House to reconsider and amend the bill, President Pranab Mukherjee has returned Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology Bill, which seeks university status to the institute. In June 2015, the Delhi Assembly had passed NSIT Bill (amendment) tabled by the AAP government, according university status to Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology. At present, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology is affiliated to Delhi University and located in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka area.

After passing the bill, the Delhi Assembly had sent it to the President for his approval through the ministry of home affairs. “The President directed the lieutenant-governor to return the bill to the Assembly to reconsider and amend the bill as per provisions under Section 25 of GNCTD Act 1991,” an official said.

The development comes to light when Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday told the House that he, last week, received a communication from the L-G office which has returned the NSIT Bill asking for its reconsideration. “L-G Anil Baijal returned Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology Bill, asking for its reconsideration,” Mr Goel told the House during the two-day Winter Session which concluded on Wednesday.

While tabling the NSIT Bill in June last on floor of the House, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds education portfolio, had said, “Making NSIT a university will cater to thousands of students. At present, there are 3,400 seats in NSIT, but once it becomes a university, there will be 12,000 seats in 4-5 years.”

Recently, Mr Baijal had returned the file on Delhi government’s ambitious proposal to slash fares of DTC and cluster buses by 75 per cent, asking the city administration to reconsider it.