Faculty crunch in Sambalpur University

Following is a report from the Sambad:

Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh, and Boudh polytechnics await central nod

Following is a report from the TNIE:

The State Government has requested the Centre to accord approval to nine polytechnics to start functioning from 2014-15 academic year as the buildings have already been completed.

In a letter, Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra has requested Ashok Thakur, Secretary in the Department of Higher Education of Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to advise the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) to accord approval to the polytechnics at the earliest.

The polytechnics are located at Jajpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Puri, Angul, Bargarh, Boudh, Koraput and Nayagarh.

The Chief Secretary said the new buildings have been inspected by the expert team of AICTE.

Steps have been taken to correct the deficiencies highlighted by the team. As pointed out by the team, library books along with required journals and personal computers will be available by July, 2014, he said.

Mohapatra said applications have been received for recruitment of laboratory assistants and lecturers by the Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) and the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) respectively. The recruitment process for these posts is expected to be completed before the start of the 2014-15 academic session, he added.

The MHRD had proposed to set up 22 Government polytechnics in the under-served and uncovered districts of the State under the scheme of ‘Submission on Polytechnic’.

The State Government has made a provision of `12.30 crore for each polytechnic to be set up. In August, 2013, the AICTE had given its nod to eight polytechnics to commence classes in the 2013-14 academic year.

Odisha govt. to float tender for five medical colleges by June

Following is a report from BS:

With the Centre’s approval for upgradation of the Puri district headquarter hospital to a medical college besides four other such facilities at Balasore, Koraput, Balangir and Baripada, the Odisha government today said it is all set to float tenders for construction work in June this year.

“While the Union Ministry of Health had earlier sanctioned setting up of four medical colleges at Balasore, Baripada, Balangir and Koraput by upgrading the existing district headquarter hospitals there, approval has now come for Puri hospital,” said health and family welfare secretary P K Mohapatra.

All five proposed medical colleges would have student intake capacity of 100 each and around Rs 200 crore would be spent for upgradation of the hospitals to a full-fledged medical college and hospital in each case, Mohapatra said.

The project cost will come from Centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Surakhsa Yojana scheme, he said adding the Centre will provide 75 per cent while the state will shoulder the rest 25 per cent cost.

Under the scheme, DHHs having more than 200 beds were considered for such upgradation, he said. Mohapatra said the state government was planning to float tenders for the five medical colleges by June 15 and start construction from October onwards.

Meanwhile, sources said the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has given its nod to set up two medical colleges in Gajapati and Rayagada districts on PPP mode.

Each medical college will have 100 seats and 500 beds. The projects would be executed at a cost of Rs 326 crore each, they said.

Odisha presently has three government run medical colleges at Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla.