Visakhapatnam to become India’s Houston. IIPE to be set up here.

Visakhapatnam is judged to be the site for Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy. The bill for the same has been passed by Lok Sabha. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan is of the opinion that the Krishna-Godavari basin would fulfil India’s energy needs for several years to come. He expressed hope that the skill development through the institute would help address the energy security issue in India.

The stress of the institute will be on both conventional and non-conventional energy forms. The youth will be the first beneficiaries of this futuristic step. Clarifying on it’s foundation in Andhra Pradesh, the Minister expressed advantages to pan-India.

Visakhapatnam and the Godavari region are the ideal place for this institute. It has what it takes to become the energy epicenter to India. Touted as the Houston of India, this region would get a lot of lot of job opportunities for locals. A lot of non-teaching jobs would be created. The focus of the venture is providing affordable energy to the country.

About the institute: The institute is an important step for the country as a whole. It will be provide education and research in the fields of hydrocarbons, liquefied natural gas, bio-fuels and renewable energy forms. The student enrollment has started and quality R&D would give profitability to energy resources in the region. The Krishna Godavari basin is a site rich in gas hydrates and will keep for 100 years more. It is said to have more resources than Bombay Gas fields.

Highlights:

200 acres of land has been allotted by the state government.
Rs.650 crores for the institute is central funded.
IIPE currently offers under-graduate courses in chemical engineering and petroleum engineering.
It is at par with IITs in it’s field.
IIT Kharagpur is the mentoring institute.

Bifurcation Act:

The institute had been set up in Andhra Pradesh as per the Bifurcation Act. This was passed in the Parliament in 2014 and the Prime Minister wishes to keep his promise to both states.