Dear Esteemed Chief Minister and Higher Education Secretary:
Recently in response to an RTI query MHRD Delhi wrote that "it had already been decided by this Ministry that the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University could consider establishment of one of its off-campuses in Kalahandi district during the 11th Plan Period,subject to availability of resources."
This has now been reported in Samaja (see attachment) and possibly in other papers.
Earlier in December 2008 when Mr. Sharad Pawar was visiting Orissa, you had demanded that a branch of IGNTU be established in Kandhamal. (See Pioneer; Expressbuzz.com, Zee news, a PTI report in Hindu)
Please follow up on that and now that in their RTI response MHRD has mentioned Kalahandi, please ask for two campuses of IGNTU, one in Kalhandi and one in Kandhamala. They can not say NO to Kandhamala and since they have already mentioned Kalahandi in their RTI response they can not now say NO to that.
If it will help we can fax (or scan and email) a copy of the RTI response to your office.
sincerely
Chitta Baral
Professor, Arizona State University
Another Letter by Dr. Sanjib Kumar Karmee:
Respected Chief Minister of Orissa and Higher Education Secretary
Sirs,
I am sure, you are aware of the opening of regional centers of Indira
Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) in the different states of
India. The University has special provisions for the admission of
women, and persons belonging to the weaker sections of the society (in
particular, the Scheduled Castes and scheduled Tribes).
Many districts of our state are predominantly inhabited by the tribal
communities. The higher education facilities and medical facilities in
these hill districts are inadequate.
This would be of great help in promoting education among the tribal
communities in Orissa; if regional campuses of the IGNTU will be
established in Kandhamal and Kalahandi.
Unfortunately both these places are well-known inside and outside the
country for wrong reasons.
Sirs,
Earlier in December 2008 your administration has proposed to the
central govt. for the opening of a branch of IGNTU in Kandhamal
(http://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1743). However, your forgetful
govt. has not followed up this matter.
Recently, in response to an RTI query MHRD Delhi wrote that "it had
already been decided by this Ministry that the IGNTU could consider
establishment of one of its off-campuses in Kalahandi district during
the 11th Plan Period, subject to availability of resources." This has
now been reported in various news papers.
Now, the state govt. should pursue this matter seriously, and ask for
two campuses of IGNTU, one in Kalahandi and one in Kandhamal. Also,
please ask for medical colleges in both the places as Orissa govt.
does not have enough funds for establishing govt. medical colleges in
these tribal dominated districts.
Thanking you with best regards,
Sanjib
--
Dr.Sanjib Kumar Karmee, PhD
Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry group
Department of Biotechnology
Delft University of Technology
Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft,
The Netherlands
My Version:
Dear honorable chief minister Mr. Patnaik,
You are well aware that Kalahandi has been struggling for a Central University since decades. Nothing had been achieved so far except recently proposed Engineering College by Orissa state Government.
Many people of Kalahandi also feel that at the last moment Orissa Government betrayed the feeling of local people by announcing the Central University of Orissa (CUO) in Koraput.
However, to know the fate of our petition to the central Government on CUO in Kalahandi through RTI route we were informed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India that “it had already been decided by this Ministry that the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) could consider establishment of one of its off-campuses in Kalahandi district during the 11th Plan Period, subject to availability of resources."
Though state Government had earlier proposed a similar branch of IGNTU in Phulbani in Dec 2008, the reply received from MHRD indicates the decision to establish one of its off-campuses in Kalahandi was made before Dec 2008.
The aspiration of people of Kalahandi to have Central University of Orissa in Kalahandi did not materialize due to larksome support received from the state Government. However, proposed off campus of IGNTU in Kalahandi by MHRD may release some of the ongoing tension for a Central University in the region.
IGNTU has already started its campuses in Amarkantak and Manipur. Now when the MHRD is willing to establish off campus of IGNTU in Kalahandi, we urge you to kindly expedite and facilitate the process so that an IGNTU establish it’s off campus with a medical college attached to it in Kalahandi from the academic year 2010-11.
If the state Government will support the long standing demand of Kalahandi people and take proper initiative IGNTU may be possible in Kalahandi from the coming academic year. State Govt. can also simultaneously pursue to establish another branch of IGNTU in Kandhamal.
I hope you will take appropriate action and write to the central Government to start off campus of IGNTU in Kalahandi.
Thank you and with best regards
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