Vedanta University Bill re-introduced in House: Demand to establish Sri Sri University in KBK

"Vedanta University Bill re-introduced in House"
The Pioneer, July 26,2009
Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneshwar

The State Government on Saturday re-introduced the controversial bill on setting up a multi-disciplinary world class university by Vedanta Resource Corporation in the State Assembly. However, the Opposition Congress protested the move of the Government. Earlier in 2008, the Vedanta University Bill-2009 was moved in the House in the Assembly but could not be formally introduced in the face of disapproval from the Opposition.

Introducing the bill, Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the proposed university would have student strengths of one lakh with 15,000 faculty strength. Earlier, the State Government sanctioned 10,000 acre of land to the university. "But later we have reduced the land requirement to 6,000 acre. 4,000 acre has already been acquired," Mishra informed the House. The ruling party members pointed argued that it would bring Rs 15,000 crore investment opportunity in the higher education sector.

However, the Congress opposed the bill questioning the acquiring of vast tracts of land for a university." The real intention could be taking over 6,000 acre of land in Konark-Puri marine drive in the name of setting up the university," said Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan, adding that Vedanta had no experience in the education sector.

He further said that the Government should not allot such a huge chunk of land to the trust. "You may pass the bill in Assembly as the ruling party has numbers in the House. But the people will not forgive the Government for giving Lord Jagannath's land to Vedanta," the Harichandan said, adding that the University of London started in 16 acres and now only 19 acres of land is with the University.

Four other bills including the Institute of Charted Financial Analyst of India University (Orissa) Bill-2009, Sri Sri University Bill-2009, Code of Criminal Procedure (Orissa Amendment) Bill-2009 and Orissa Government Land Settlement (Amendment) Bill, 2009 were also introduced in the Assembly.

Congress member Anup Sai opposed the ICFAI University, Orissa, Bill-2009. " Such a university would not serve the interest of the State," he said. "ICFAI University had been established in at least seven Congress ruled States in the country. Therefore, opposing it was not accepted by the Government," Mishra said adding that the proposed university would meet the requirement in the changing industrial scenario in the State.

Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja opposed the Sri Sri University on the ground that it should be located in the KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) region or any backward district. The two other bills introduced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro did not face any opposition.