Agartala, Dec 28 (UNI) The Empowered Committee has released Rs 51.87 crore for all the eight North East states during 2007-08 under Non- Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) to improve infrastructure facilities.

Official sources said here today that the Centre had been financing on basis of 90 per cent grant and 10 per cent loan since 1998 as part of special economic and social development of NE.

The Central government had also approved the proposal of Rs 816.66 crore for the development of educational infrastructure in the region out of which Rs 655.84 crore had been released so far.

As per the review meeting of NE Chief Ministers to set up an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the region, IIM Shillong had come up while Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura University have been converted into Central Universities in 2007.

Besides, the Centre had estabished a Central University in Sikkim and National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Agartala.

The Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT) was upgraded into a National Institute of Technology (NIT) and meanwhile a Central Team after inspection in September last have submitted a favorable report for setting up of Engineering and Management faculties in the region.

UNI