Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday laid the foundation of a Rs 60 crore building of the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Rourkela. The 13-storeyed building equipped with sophisticated gadgets and modern facilities would be constructed coinciding with the golden jubilee of NIT. The building is scheduled to be completed in two years.

Mukherjee, on a two-day visit to the steel city, praised the role being played by NIT in imparting high quality technological education.

The finance minister also inaugurated the 84th annual conference of Nikhila Bharat Banga Sahitya Samilana where more than 1,000 delegates from different parts of the country participated.

Highlighting the significant role played by language in national integration and harmony, Mukherjee said the bond among people gets strengthened through literature which transcends geographical barriers.