DES vice-chairman Vikas Kakatkar said on Tuesday that they have received a copy of Andhra Pradesh's government resolution (GR) stating that it will hand over 49.49 acres of land in Chittur district once the DES pays a stipulated amount of money to the government. "We received the GR on February 26 and will soon pay the money," Kakatkar said. Speaking about the location, Kakatkar said it was along the six-lane Tirupati highway near Tirupati Renigunta International airport.

A medical and engineering college is functioning opposite the DES site. "We will initially begin with courses in life sciences from June 2010, followed by the commerce faculty," Kakatkar said. These would include undergraduate courses in microbiology, environment sciences, biophysics and biochemistry.

The DES is yet to decide whether the college will be autonomous or affiliated with the local university.

The DES has also received nod from the Maharashtra government to start an agribusiness management college at Sangli on its Wellington College campus. "We will be offering Bsc in agri-business management from June 2009 and it will be affiliated to Mahatma Phule Krushi Vidyapeeth," said Kakatkar.