Sunday, October 18, 2009

K’handi Vedanta Varsity urged

Tathya.in, Oct 18, 2009

Bhawanipatna:18/October/2009

All the Policy Makers in Government very well know that Orissa’s overall development revolved round the growth of Kalahandi-Koraput-Balangir-Kandhamal (KBKK).

Unless these most backward areas of the state achieve accelerated growth, Orissa will never become a Developed State, they know.

However till date Policy Makers and Administrators have been neglecting these areas little understanding that their move to develop the state will be a futile exercise unless KBKK develops.

Take the case of Kalahandi, poorest region of the state, where Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) is investing Rs.4000 crore in alumina complex.

But what about the social infrastructure like health and education, which will go a long way really to develop the area.

Justifying the issue, leading Non Resident Oriya (NRO) Sanjeeb Kumar Karmee has outlined the agenda for VAL to develop the area by setting up a Multidisciplinary University in Kalahandi.

Establishment of such an educational institute in Kalahandi area will change the socio-economic scenario of this underdeveloped area and neighbouring districts by providing a boost to the human resource and economy of the district and other tribal dominated districts, said Dr.Karmee, who teaches in Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.

Aluminium Major, Vedanta along with the state/central government should transform this tribal dominated undeveloped Kalahandi region to a major educational and economic hub of India, said he.

Furthermore, location of Kalahandi is ideal for such a University.

It is the central district in KBK and central point for KBKK + Gajapati + Bargarh (The tribal and backward regions in Southern and Western Orissa).

This location strongly suggests that a multidisciplinary world class University in Kalahandi region will have a huge impact in both South as well as Western Orissa; which are educationally and economically backward place in our country.

Simultaneously, it will help thousands of displaced people (tribals and landless persons) to have access to higher education.

In that way, they will realize their dream of becoming a manager or job holders in companies like Vedanta.

Not only that, these noble steps of Vedanta will inspire many other companies in the state to take similar initiative.

In addition, Vedanta will fulfil an important concept related to “human value”; that is, industrialization, development of the region and displacement of tribal community should take place in one go.

This way Vedanta will be able to win the trust not only of local people but also thousands of poor who are displaced will enjoy the real development.

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