Bhubaneswar, Dec 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Orissa Sunday for a brief visit during which he will inaugurate a conference of economists and lay the foundation stone for a national science education institute.
The prime minister was received by Governor M.C. Bhandare, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Bhupinder Singh, and senior government officials at the Biju Patnaik airport here amid elaborate security arrangements.

During his brief visit, Singh would inaugurate the 92nd session of the Indian Economic Association (IEA) conference at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in state capital Bhubaneswar.

Nearly 3,000 delegates from across the country are attending the three-day conference.

The prime minister would also lay the foundation stone of the proposed campus of a National Institute for Science Education and Research (NISER) near Jatni in Khordha district, about 25 km from here.

The state government has already allotted 300 acres of land for the campus. After laying the foundation stone, Manmohan Singh is scheduled to return to New Delhi, official sources said.

This is Manmohan Singh’s second visit to the state as prime minister. His maiden visit was in August 2006 during his first tenure. During that visit, he had announced the establishment of NISER in the state.

The union cabinet Sep 6, 2007, gave its approval for setting up the NISER institute at an estimated cost of Rs.823.19 crore (Rs.8.23 billion) and also creation of 761 posts in academic, scientific, technical, administrative and auxiliary categories for a seven-year plan.

NISER, operating under the umbrella of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, is currently conducting a five-year Integrated Masters in Science programme in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.

The first academic programme of the institute was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Sep 10, 2007.

Currently, NISER is utilizing the facilities of Institute of Physics at Bhubaneswar for its functioning. Institute of Physics is an autonomous research institution funded jointly by the DAE and the Orissa government.