Indore, Feb 17 : Union Human Resources Development Minster Arjun Singh on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Simrol here.

Simrol is about 25 kilometers from Indore.

With the opening of this institute, Indore has now become the first city in the country to have both an IIM and an IIT.

The institute will be opening on 525 acres of land at Simrol.

IIT Mumbai''s Director and Registrar in the same capacities will look after IIT Indore as well.

During the Eleventh Plan Period, the Central Government decided to establish eight new IITs, including IIT Indore.

The seven other new IITs have been set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Orissa and Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)