NOTE: Indeed University in semi-urban region can perform, it needs commitment and encouragement. I am sure there will not be any major problem for getting permanent faculties. These probelms (visiting faculties) are temporary as any new institution faces while estblishing in a new location. Once IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati etc all of them had to go through the same struggle. Therefore, national institutions should be equally distributed between urban area (major cities) and semi-urban area which are far from such major cities/state capitals in India to bring social and regional balance in higher education and research activities. I also hope VC spends more time in Koraput rather than Bhubaneswar to bring more effectiveness in administration and development of the University campus in Koraput and take inititaives to open campuses in Kalahandi and Balangir. Earlier I had read in one of the online report CU in Karnataka is taking such step to open new campuses in the same state. Central University in Odisha should be KBK centric by opening campuses in Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput.
CU recognised as better performing varsity
Expressbuzz, Feb 4, 2010
BHUBANESWAR: Despite multiple factors coming in the way of faster development of the nascent Central University (CU) of Orissa in Koraput, Vice- Chancellor Prof. Surabhi Banerjee today claimed that the varsity is being judged as one of the `better performing’ CUs of the country for its overall performance.
A master plan for the campus is already on the anvil with green building expertise, incorporating local taste, style and tribal traditional art and heritage elements for a holistic look, she said.
Speaking to mediapersons here, Banerjee admitted having problems like getting permanent faculty due to various technical and logistics dif ficulties and statutory provisions, but hoped that issues relating to students, accommodation for faculty, guest house, community welfare centre would be sorted out very soon.
``We will very soon submit a detailed project report (DPR) to the UGC to start a medical college and hospital in future and hope the effort will have a tremendous impact on the health-care delivery mechanism of the one of the most backward regions of the State,’’ she said.
Hinting at a two-year post-graduate programme under a separate school of biodiversity and conservation of natural resources in the varsity, she said talks are on to sign an MoU with MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in this regard as the region has been recently identified as a prominent biodiversity hotspot of the world and the year being celebrated as the Year of Biodiversity.
The varsity has submitted necessary papers to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for establishment of a community radio station at Koraput and a state-ofthe- art video conferencing studio on its campus, she said.
While there are plans to sign MoUs with Jamia Hamdard University for collaborative programmes on community health science and management and nursing under a proposed school of health science, another agreement would be signed with the British Council for an English language training programmes to help the local students to hone their communication skills, she said.
CU to set up medical college and hospital
Expressbuzz, Feb 2, 2010
KORAPUT: The Central University here will soon set up a medical college and hospital in Koraput. Vice-Chancellor Surobhi Benerjee announced this in a release today.
The university is now in the process of submitting the detailed project report (DPR) to the appropriate authorities.
She also said there would be a detailed discussion with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard tomorrow.
Moreover, the university is going to start a school for bio-diversity and conservation of natural resources in collaboration with M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai.
The authorities of the MSSRF have agreed to provide all support in establishing the school and run collaborative PG programmes. The university will sign an MoU with MSSRF soon.
COMMUNITY RADIO: Besides, the university will set up a community radio station in Koraput for the development of the tribal community. A proposal for commissioning the radio station had been submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The university is also going to set up a centre for community welfare in Koraput.
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCE: Further, the university will sign an MoU with Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, in the area of nursing and public/ community health for its proposed school of health science (Nursing, public health and community health).
The VC further said anti-development and anti-university activities are being promoted by fake e-mail messages in the name of the university and its VC. It is a serious crime and the university authorities are compelled to take strong legal action against the culprits in the interest of all. She also urged the people of KBK to extend their cooperation for rapid development of the varsity.
Reacting on the fake mail issue, Koraput MP Jayram Pangi said the cyber criminals should be caught immediately and punished as per law. He promised all support for development of the varsity.
Former MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati lauded Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal for establishing the Central University, a long-standing demand of the local people. He also promised support for the development of the medical college and hospital.
Koraput to acquire global farm heritage status
Expressbuzz, Jan 31, 2010
BHUBANESWAR: The unique hilly floral and faunal diversity of Koraput, presumed as the origin of rice, will soon be designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), on the lines of World Heritage Site, by Unesco.
Koraput will be one of four such sites to get international recognition, the other three being fish and rice farming system of China, terrace farming of the Philippines and pastoral system of Peru.
Informing this at a consultation here, agro economist M S Swaminathan said GIAHS is a method of giving recognition to areas where the locals are maintaining the agricultural biodiversity. For the last two years, Food and Agriculture Organisation is on the job to study such systems. As many 20 applications had been received, of which four have so far been identified, executive director, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Ajay Parida said.
The next step will be to study in detail every biological aspect and at the same time document the crop varieties in these areas.
Swaminathan said the tribals have conserved rich agricultural biodiversity practices for which they have to be recognised since they do it at a huge social cost. There were over 1.5 lakh varieties of rice available, but just 10 per cent of it exists now.
Calling for halting genetic erosion, he said the fight against the impacts of climate change would not be possible without the agriculture biodiversity in India.
Koraput is home to 2,500 species of flowering plants, angiosperms, well known gymnosperms and 30 species of ferns. The Jeypore tract, undivided Koraput, is conceived by rice researchers as a centre of genetic diversity and secondary centre of origin of rice.
Using Koraput agricultural system as an example, a prototype scientific programme for GIAHS is being formulated and participatory conservation is being taken up.
No comments:
Post a Comment