A Bill seeking to declare four National Institutes of Design (NIDs) in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Haryana as institutions of national importance as well as given them powers to award degree got Parliament's nod on Tuesday.
Lok Sabha passed the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote after the members debated on its provisions and made a host of suggestions and demands for certain changes in the Bill.
The amendments to the Bill moved by three Opposition members were defeated by the voice vote.
The Rajya Sabha had already given its nod to the Bill.
Parliament passed a Bill in 2014 to declare the NID-Ahmedabad as an institution of national importance and also vest in the institute power to award degree, diploma and other academic distinction for the promotion of quality and excellence in education, research and training in all disciplines relating to design.
All five NIDs come under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
During a debate on the Bill in Lok Sabha, members cutting across the party line demanded that the Union government should set up the NID in other States too, saying it will help create skilled manpower and generate job opportunities in the sector.
Congress member Hibi Eden demanded setting of an NID in Cochin while DMK's Kalanidhi Veeraswamy said the government should establish the institute in any district of Tamil Nadu.
"Why not in West Bengal?” Trinamool Congress' (TMC) Satabdi Roy said while pressing for the establishment of the institute in her State.
BJP's Kirit Solanki said that every State should have one NID because all the States have skills and design capacity.
BSP member Ritesh Pandey pressed for the establishment of one NID each in his Uttar Pradesh and other states including Bihar.
He demanded that the tuition fee of the NIDs should be brought down, saying its “fairly high at present.”
The BSP leader also pitched for providing free education to students belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes at the NIDs.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash had moved the Bill in Lok Sabha for its consideration and passage.