This is a proposal to Vedanta Alumina Limited and State Government of Orissa to establish Vedanta Kalahandi University. Detail proposal can be found here.
Why a General State University in KBK
Orissa is a state of which a large part comes under rural area.
Especially, KBK which consists of one-third of the state’s total area, comes under the rural belt.
Demand of a state university in KBK region, since the establishment of North Orissa University, has not been met as yet.
Number of affiliated colleges in various general state universities are:
Utkal University (UU): 330
Sambalpur University (SU): 177
Berhampur University (BU): 91
North Orissa University (NOU): 69
Fakir Mohan University (FMU): 63
Some of the technical colleges, listed under state universities as affiliated colleges, might already have been redistributed to Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) by now or made unitary universities. Most of these technical colleges are from Utkal University and set up in the capital region of the state.
Districts affiliated with these state universities are as follows:
UU: Khordha, Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsingpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul.
SU: Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, and Boudh.
BU: Ganjam, Gajpati, Kandhamal, Rayagada. Malkangir, Koraput and Nabarangpur.
NOU: Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar.
FMU: Balasore and Bhadrak.
On regional basis, two separate state universities (North Orissa and Fakir Mohan) have already been established separating from Utkal University in the past, but no separate university has been yet established from Sambalpur and Berhampur Universsities.
Considering inaccessibility, location wise, some universities are inconvenient to serve local districts, such as Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur under BU, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Boudh under SU, due to long distance and poor connectivity, whereas it is marginally acceptable for most of the districts under UU, FMU and NOU.
Based on administration of number of affiliated colleges, there should be at least another two universities other than Utkal and Sambalpur Universities. For Orissa, on an average, 100 affiliated colleges in one university looks acceptable at this point of time similar to BU, NOU and FMU.
A new state university in KBK
The possibility that looks economical and practical at this point, is to establish a state university in KBK taking colleges from each four affiliated districts from BU and SU based on region, inaccessibility and redistributing number of affiliated colleges as below.
SU will have colleges in Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Bargarh, Sonepur, and Angul (all colleges from Angul district redistributed from UU).
BU will have colleges in Ganjam, Gajpati, Kandhamal, Nayagarh (redistributed from UU) and Khordha district except capital region, Jatni and Khordha town (redistributed from UU).
UU will have colleges in capital region, Khordha town, Jatni, Puri, Cuttack, Kedrapada, Jagatsingpur and Dhenkanal.
FMU will have colleges in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur (redistributed from UU).
NOU will have colleges in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar.
Proposed new state university in KBK will have colleges in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir and Boudh.
Why VKU in Kalahandi?
Vedanta’s Case:
Vedanta Alumina is located in Kalahandi and has been a controversy project due to environmental issues and tribal right.
A University with the help of Vedanta would give a positive message to the region and the whole world, specially when Kalahandi is infamously known as backward.
Many intellectuals, politicians, journalists and social workers who are opposing proposed Vendanta University in Puri suggest to establish the same in KBK or Kalahandi where Vendata is establishing it refinery. Establishing VKU might counter act on such argument.
Vedanta can use some of the funds from local development program as per Supreme Court ruling to support the VKU which would not be possible in other place.
Political consideration:
Kalahandi is considered as part of Western Orissa by Orissa Government whereas World Bank considered it as part of Southern Orissa, therefore, it can resemble politically both Southern and Western Orissa.
There is no state Government University in KBK region and demand for such a University in the region is long standing. Orissa also needs a state University in South-Western Orissa for KBK region for its affiliated college as explained earlier.
Location Wise:
Kalahandi is centrally located in KBK districts. Koraput and Balangir would be far away from each other whereas Bhawanipatna can be acceptable to both in distance point of view.
Bhawanipatna is virtually located centrally in Westerner border region from Motu (Malkangiri) to Sundergarh.
Malkangiri and Nabarangpur which are faraway from Berhampur University could be served better from Bhawanipatna.
Educational & Infrastructure Advantage:
Bhawanipatna has free land, water, power, roads, etc and can be an educational and knowledge hub with the proposed engineering, medical and agriculture colleges in the region.
Proposed Raipur international airport is located in 200 km and Jharsuguda airport is 250 km from the proposed site.
Kesinga station, 20-25 km from the proposed site in Karlapada, is well connected to most of the major cities in India. Next to Kesinga is Titilagarh station which is 10 – 15 minutes by train.
By road the proposed site is well connected by NH and SH with Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Balangir, Boudh, Sonepur , Nabarangpur, Kandhamal and Nuapada district . And 8 out of these 10 districts have direct border with Kalahandi district.
Probable Contribution from Various parties for the Proposed University
Vedanta Alumina Limited
Initially contributes: Rs. 50 crores
Subsequent 10 years VAL may contribute 10 % or 1 crore annually from local development project under Lanjigarh refinery and Niyamgiri mining
May get 20% free seat for affected/ rehabilitated people by Vedanta group in Lanjigarh, Niyamgiri, Jharsuguda & Puri.
In case 20% seats are not/partially filled then rest of them goes to local people through local development project by VAL
Vedanta may get a name tag along with University name
One position in syndicate/management may be given to VAL as long as it contributes to University development
State Government
Contributes free Land: 500 acres
Employs and pays staff and faculty
Gets 40 % seat free at state level competitive basis
30 % seats goes to University management as self-finance to further reduce financial burden from state Govt. for running the university
Fees for self-financed seats are determined by state Govt.
State Govt. keeps the right whether to use Vedanta’s subsequent contribution and/or fees from self-financed seats for salary for staff and faculty
When state Govt. takes all financial burdern and administration of the University like other state University , 100% seat goes to state Government
Technical Guidance from Vedanta University Puri
Vedanta University in Puri (VUP) may provide technical assistance during establishing VKU
Medical school of Vedanta University in Puri may have a research center in Kalahandi on adivasi specific diseases and medicinal plants of that area.
Dear mr Digambara, I am currently working as Senior Research Officer under the vedanta supported Medical research centre at Bhubnaeswar and am engaged in a large research programme funded by VU and supported by DHS, Orissa which aims at new born screening and treatment-management of Sickle Cell anemia and congenital Hypothyroidism in kalahandi. My experience with Vedanta is so far good. being born in Sambalpur and done doctorate in Anthropology from SU, I will definitely welcome ur suggestions. If VKU comes up, it will be easy for Molecular Anthropologists like me to serve the people of western Orissa in healthe related issues. We are currently using most advanced methods including DNA facilities to screen and manage the babies with the disorders. Unless it is picked up as a long term programme, the high-risk belt which includes kalahandi will remain unattended. VKU, if comes up can be a nodal unit for multi faced health benefit provier and state-of-art resaerch unit in this line. I personally thank you to have brought this issues to public. In this concern, any one who wishes to communicate, is also welcome. (My phone no: 9776308130)
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