Kalahandi deserves central univ

Tathya, 21st March, 2008

Digambara Patra sitting thousands of miles away from Kalahandi is worried for the most backward and poverty stricken zone of the country. A leading educationist non resident Oriya (NRO) Dr.Patra, who teaches at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, has demanded the proposed KBK Central University to be established at Bhawanipatana, district headquarters of Kalahandi. While politicians are maintaining eerie silence over the establishment of the demand of a Central University in Kalahandi, Dr.Patra has prepared the road map for the same and has demanded it with all sorts of justifications. In a memorandum to the President of India, Dr.Patra has outlined the urgent need for a Central University in this part of the country. While lauding the agenda of the Centre to establish KBK Central University during the Eleventh Plan, he demanded it with full justifications for placing it at Bhawanipatana. To begin with he said that the concept KBK originated from Kalahandi, where Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and of late Rahul Gandhi visited the worst poverty stricken zone of the country. Kalahandi is located at the epicenter of KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput), where due to political reasons economic and social development has taken a back seat. For example recently the state Government of Orissa decided to establish its Headquarters of KBK at Koraput without considering other parts of KBK and rather bringing a regional/local confrontation among local people in KBK. The central government has established IIT, IIM and central universities in northeastern states and a proposed tribal Central University in Amarkantak, but Kalahandi was never in considered for such opportunities. This shows lack of seriousness of our great leaders and Gandhi dynasty for development of Kalahandi and KBK. Geographically Kalahandi happens to be the Centre of the entire KBK districts and including some other backward districts like Gajapati, Kandhamal etc. The headquarters of these districts are about 200 kms from Bhawanipatna. Kalahandi, moreover, is a link between Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh and other parts of Orissa State through air, railway and road. Historically, present day Kalahandi served as Political hub and cultural sanctuary of ancient Atavika [4th-3rd century B.C] and Mahakantara [4th –5th century A.D] to which modern KBK districts forms a part. It is predominantly a tribal area, where primitive tribes like Khond, Gond, Brinjal, Saura and Godva etc live since time immemorial. Their archaic tribal culture adds luster to the existing natural resources and cultural relics of Kalahandi in particular and Orissa in general. Kalahandi has only one Government college situated at Bhawanipatna namely Government Autonomous College imparting teaching upto Post Graduation (PG) classes. This institution has the status of Potentiality for Excellence by the University Grants Commission (UGC). A high powered committee of the UGC visited recently and have expressed great satisfaction with the progress. No other college of KBK districts has received such rare distinction by the UGC of India. NACC team visited this college in 2005 and has conferred B++ grade. The grade could have been higher if the staff position would have been 75% of the UGC norm. It is the State Government which appoints people for teaching and non teaching activities. This premier college has been catering to the academic need of the students of the neighboring areas such as Nowrangpur, Nuapada, Khariar, Saintala –Titilagarh, Muniguda-Gunpur, Rayagada etc of KBK districts. The college is ideally situated on the side of NH that connects Visakhapattanam and Raipur [Andhra- Chhatisgarh State] on the one hand and Bhubaneswar–Sambalpur- Berhampur–Jaipur-Bolangir-Phulbani of Orissa on the other hand. An aerodrome at Utkela is hardly 12 Km away from the college campus. The Kesinga railway station is located within 26 Km of its reach and the direct railway link to Bhawanipatna via Lanjigarh is being established. Available Infrastructure is enough for the proposed Central University, said Dr.Patra The college is imparting teaching in 18 diverse disciplines of Arts, Commerce and Science including M.Phil courses in History and Culture, and Oriya [Regional language and Literature] besides technical [Job Oriented] subjects like PGDCA, ARCHAEOLOGY- MUSEOLOGY, BFC, PGDPLT, EPET, P.G Diploma in Pathology laboratory Technology and Opto-Electronics. Keeping the above facilities in view, it will be eminently suitable for the proposed KBK Central University, said Dr.Patra.
Dr.Digamabra Patra is available : digpatra@rediffmail.com