UP to showcase facelift at Pan IIT conclave

The speakers will include American economist Jeffery D Sachs,Pulitzer prize winning columnist Thomas L Friedman,Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India Nandan Nilekani,Sam Pitroda,CEOs of several companies,besides Prime Minister of Bhutan Lyonchen Jigme Yoser Thinley,Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and several Union ministers.

This is the first time the conclave is being held in Greater Noida,and the UP government is the second main sponsor after the State Bank of India. Other sponsors include Coca Cola,Google,NIIT,HAL,L&T,Bharat Petroleum,Indian Airlines,and Jet Airways.

Sources said the UP government has paid about Rs 50 lakh for the event. In return,it will get a chance to make a presentation,lasting about an hour,before the august gathering on October 30. The Infrastructure and Industrial Development Department has been tasked with preparing the presentation with inputs from other departments. The Chief Minister’s office is monitoring the exercise.

An official said the thrust of the presentation — which will be in the form of a flash movie — will be to highlight the recent “transformation of the state” which is commonly believed to be an agragrian state.

“Uttar Pradesh has seen a great transformation in recent years and it is necessary that this is placed before the people who can make a difference,” said a senior government official.

Officials are busy collecting information about the growth of industry and services in state,projects taken up under private-public partnership,and the recent government initiatives in the fields of power,education,social welfare and health.

The Pan IIT organisation was formed in 2002 and has been organising such global conferences since 2004. Earlier,conferences have taken place in the US,Chennai,Mumbai and last year in Delhi. The organisers have already provided a link from the conclave’s website to the UP government website.