Letter to Rahul Gandhi: Sepoy has a job to do for the upliftment of Kalahandi

IMPORTANT NOTE:Please write this email personally to Rahul Gandhi and copy to PM, CM etc.

(Thanks to Prof. Chitta Baral for bringing it)

To

Sri Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary

CC
Honorable Prime Minister Dr Singh
Honorable Smt Sonia Gandhi
Honorable Minister of HRD Sri Kapil Sibal
Honorable Agriculture Minister Sri Sharad Pawar
Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha Sri Naveen Patnaik


Dear Rahul ji,
In 2008 & 2010, when you said yourself as a Sepoy of Kalahandi at Delhi, people of Kalahandi thought you will help for the development of Kalahandi and change its backward image.
Except your interference in stopping mining and mineral processing development in Niyamgiri and Lanjigarh, unfortunately your claim is getting diluted day by day.
Though you have taken in good spirit for the establishment of a Central Agriculture University in Bundelkhand, your response has been poor towards Kalahandi despite a strong public appeal for establishement of similar such institution.

Recent declaration of central Government to give special importance to agricultural growth of eastern part of the nation including Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand etc is adorable.

Agriculture contributes substantial portion to our economy and human resources. It is the prime source to the rural economy and is backbone of the nation. As the agriculture land area is decreasing due to urbanization and industries, to meet the food demand at the national and international level the stress on agricultural output per hectare of agricultural land will increase with population. This will require very advanced technology, modern tools, innovation and creativity in the world class level that institution like central University could only fulfill.

In this connection besides IITs, IIMs, IIITs, Innovative Universities, Central Universities etc establishment of high quality central agriculture university for education and research relating to agriculture bear importance. Ministry of Agriculture had already established Central Agriculture University at Imphal for North Eastern states. Recently the Union agriculture ministry had also given the go-ahead to develop a Central Agriculture University in Jhansi for Bundelkhand, which seems largely was due to your pressure on the Government.

Odisha has a great potential in agriculture in the national level and recently was recognized in the national level. Despite known for backwardness, Kalahandi is one of the top rice, cotton and pulse producing region in Odisha. This region is very rich in terms of agriculture and agriculture products. Institution of higher learning for the development of agriculture science and technology is a must in this backward cluster for the benefit of eastern states in India, particularly for Odisha and Chhatisgarh and to train and support this backward cluster in agriculture.

Although people of Odisha had initiated to establish a Central Agriculture University by writing to various ministries and department, West Bengal Govt. has recently proposed to establish a Central Agriculture University in West Medinapore district, which already has an IIT, medical college and university and more developed in terms of education and infrastructure compare to Kalahandi.

Kalahandi has more practical appeal for such an University not only for its infamous backwardness, rich agriculture potential and available infrastructure, such as railways, NH, Raipur airport within 200 km, and but also due to its ideal location in Odisha and bordering Chhatisgarh.

o Kalahandi is centrally located among the KBK districts.

o Bhawanipatna is also the central point while including other tribal and backward region in Orissa such as Boudh, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Gajpati districts, thus, Bhawanipatna could serve better to the whole region than any other location.

o Kalahandi is located in the border of Chhattisgar and near to Raipur which would make it easy to serve the interest of both Odisha and Chhatisgarh.

We are not against establishing such a University in Medinapore, but the nation deserves more Central Agriculture University as per its present need. Therefore, in the line of North Eastern states, Bundelkhand, West Medinapore, etc. we request you, being a Sipoy of Kalahandi, to take the issue to Central Govt. for establishing a Central Agriculture University at Kalahandi.

Thanking you and best regards