Aurangabad: A school of planning and architecture was proposed in the district in the state annual budget three years ago. It does not seem, however, like it will come up anytime soon. There are three such schools in the country, at New Delhi, Bhopal and Vijaywada.State education minister Vinod Tawde, responding to a query on the status of the SPA at Aurangabad, had nothing concrete to offer. A question was raised by local NCP MLC Satish Chavan in the legislature. Tawde said reminders had been sent to the Centre, which is “in the process” of setting up the SPAs. The written answer, a copy of which is with TOI, shows Tawde referred to an announcement in the Union budget for the current year, which promises two new full-fledged SPAs and 18 others similar institutions as part of IITs/NITs/Central Universities.An announcement of SPA at Aurangabad was done in the state annual budget three years back, with provision of funds of Rs 10 crore. The institution was to be one of “international eminence”.Opposition leaders were quick to point out that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had been repeatedly assuring the people that the premier institution would come up at Aurangabad. State Congress delegate Jitendra Dehade, who has been following the issue by everyday making a Tweet to the Union minister and the state leaders, said the state government had offered a hollow promise. “The official reply by the minister on the floor of the House does not mention budgetary announcement of Rs 10 crore. The government cannot encash on the popular belief that ‘public memory is short’. An honest follow-up might have made the institution a reality by now,” he said.The announcement of SPA had come after Aurangabad was denied an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) despite strong demand. Nagpur, hometown of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was chosen for housing IIM, sparking angry reactions from industry, academia and other stakeholders in Aurangabad.BJP spokesperson Shirish Boralkar said the wait for the SPA would soon end. “The central authorities have started the process of zeroing in on cities where SPA could get set up. Aurangabad is the frontrunner for grabbing the opportunity,” he said, unmindful of the fact that general elections are due in less than a year.

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