Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Central varsity for Kalahandi, please!

The Pioneer, July 26, 2012

While the Union HRD Ministry has decided to establish two central universities each in Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir and an IIM in Rajasthan, the demand for a Central University in the backward Kalahandi district of Odisha has been ignored, rued several educationists, including non-resident Odias.
In letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, they have said that Kalahandi has been demanding for a Central University since the 1980s. Many letters and petitions have been submitted to both the State and Central Governments in past decades requesting for a central university but in vain.
On many occasions, the issue was also already raised in the State Assembly and Lok Sabha. Leaders from Odisha also had pleaded with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to establish a varsity in Kalahandi. Besides, local MLAs and intellectuals have met the Chief Minister of Odisha reiterating the same demand. But nothing has been done, they said.
Showing the rationale behind the demand, they said Kalahandi is located at the central place of the KBK districts. It is an ideal location in terms of infrastructure, 200 km from Raipur International Airport and has direct train communication with most major cities in India.
When two Central Universities are approved for the backward States, why Odisha should not have two such Central institutions with Kalahandi housing one, asked they and termed the apathy of the HRD Ministry as gross violation of equality and civil right.
Those who have made the plea are Prof Digambara Patra, Omkar Joshi, Madhusmita Panda, Sachin Kumar Agrawal, Sheshadev, Omkar Joshi, Rajesh Mund and Sumanta Praharaj.

Also you can read in Orissadiary

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