Central govt approves School of Planning and Architecture Bill, 2014

New Delhi, Oct 30: A Bill to convert three Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs) into centres of excellence and enable them to confer degrees to its students was approved by the government.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its nod to introduce the School of Planning and Architecture Bill, 2014 in Parliament to bring all three SPAs within its ambit.

"The Bill would enable the Schools of Planning and Architecture to become centres of excellence like IITs, NITs and help fulfill the need of the country for quality manpower in the field of architecture and planning," an official statement said.

The proposed Act will empower these schools to award degrees through an Act of Parliament; it said. The SPA students have so far been facing difficulties as the institutions were not awarding them degrees.

The SPAs would have to adhere to the government policies on reservations from time to time; the statement said. All the money spent from the public exchequer will be accounted for and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, it said.

The annual report and audited accounts of each SPA will be placed before Parliament, the statement added.

PTI