After Railway Coach Factory, another project in Rae Bareli is becoming a bone of contention between the Congress and and the BSP government in the state.

A joint team of Petroleum Ministry and Oil Industry Development Board will visit the proposed site of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) at Jais in Rae Bareli on Saturday to examine the delay in the land acquisition process for the institute.

On Thursday, Congress MP Jagdambika Pal had accused the UP government of delaying important projects in Rai Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies, leading to angry protests by BSP members in the Lok Sabha. The MP had alleged that the UP government was not providing the land for the RGIPT.

Although the RGIPT began its academic session 2008-09 in a hired portion of Feroz Gandhi Polytechnic College, Rae Bareli, it still awaits the “letter of intent” from the state government for acquiring the 96 acres for the institute.

Legal advisor of the RGIPT, S K Bajpyee said: “There is no progress in the land acquisition process for the project in the last one year. The Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Corporation (UPSIDC), which is supposed to acquire the required land, has referred the matter to the state government.” “The state mining department functions as the nodal agency for the UPSIDC and matters related to the acquisition of the land is pending with the department,” Bajpayee added.

Accompanied by officials of various oil companies, Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey will reach Rae Bareli and look into the matter on Saturday. “They might also explore possibilities to acquire land from private parties,” he said.

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