Prime minister Manmohan Singh has in principle given approval for setting up of an Indian Institute of Technology and an Indian Institute of Management in the state. In a meeting held between Mr Singh and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at New Delhi, the former agreed to expedite the process of having both national level varsities. Speaking to ET, media advisor to CM Harcharan Singh Bains, on behalf of Mr Badal, said, “The PM has agreed in-principle to have an IIM and an IIT set up in Punjab. The PM has already directed the Ministry of Human Resource Development to expedite the setting up of IIT, IIM and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Punjab to impart state-of-the-art education in the field of management, engineering and information technology.” The Punjab government had been courting the Centre for setting up an IIT, IIM and an IIIT in the state for the past several years. The Punjab government is pegging Jalandhar or Mohali for having an IIT and Bathinda for an IIM. Bathinda is also in the fray for having another Central University on the lines of Panjab University set up in the district. According to sources, the MHRD is actively considering the Punjab government proposal. “A minimum area of 200-300 acres has been earmarked for the Central University that will come up in Bathinda and the MHRD is already pursuing the matter. The CM is constantly pursuing the case with the ministry,” acting president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Badal told ET. Punjab has been on the top priority with the Centre as sources also reveal that the Centre is pursuing investments in states that have not been considered so far. Punjab being on the top of the list will be “sympathetically considered. Further, Punjab being economically and strategically important, the state will be given high priority,” a source close to the proceedings revealed.