New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Thursday urged the central government to setup an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the hill state.

Dhumal met union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal here on Thursday and offered Rs.15 crore as the state's share and 100 acres of land and other necessary facilities for setting up the technology and business schools in Himachal Pradesh.

The chief minister said the state has a large number of food processing and pharmaceutical units, and a great potential for tourism. He suggested that the IIT in the state can focus on bio-informatics and the hospital industry.

Pitching for an IIM, the chief minister said Himachal Pradesh has 20 percent enrolment rate for higher education, which is double that of the national average.

He said the union government had shown positive response to his proposals, according to the Himachal Pradesh press liaison office in Delhi. IANS