Posts filed under ‘KDDF Initiative’
Establish the proposed Vedanta University in western Orissa
Following report is from the http://www.orissasambad.com:
NOTE: Earlier it was also reported in the Dharitri that Vedanta should establish a full fledged University at Kalahandi.
Memorandum for operationalization of the proposed Jharsuguda airport
Download the Memorandum for operationalization of the proposed Jharsuguda airport
Supporting the demand for establishment of an Indian Institute of Management at Sambalpur city
To,
Honorable HRD Minister Shri Kapil Sibal
CC:
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, honorable Chief Minister, Odisha
Honorable MPs, Odisha
Journalists and Intelligentsia
Sub: Supporting the demand of establishment of an Indian Institute of Management at Sambalpur city
Dear honorable Shri Sibalji,
MHRD and other central Govt. ministries have been establishing various centrally funded institutions in Odisha to make it a developed state. However, most of the centrally funded institution viz. National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and railway medical college are located in Bhubaneswar. So far, the state govt. has not established any centrally funded Institutes in the western part of Odisha.
From decades the people of western Odisha have been demanding the establishment of centrally funded institutes. But nothing is happening as Orissa govt. is continuing to be capital-centric by proposing new central governments institutes in the capital region. However, in principle, it should happen like it is happening in various developed states of India (viz. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharastra, etc). I wish Odisha should follow the example of developed states of our country.
As reported by media Shri Amarnath Pradhan, honourable MP has raised the issue of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Lok Sabha and demanded its establishment in Sambalpur city [1]. This demand is genuine. I wholeheartedly support the demand of Shri Amarnath Pradhan, honourable MP.
Sir,
Kindly, consider the proposal for establishing an IIM at Sambalpur city; which is well connected to all districts of Orissa and all cities of India.
The Sambalpur city of western Odisha is sandwiched between Burla and Jharsuguda. Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region is emerging as a knowledge hub and establishing such an institute will help in cross-fertilization of ideas among the scientists, economists and scholars of humanities and social sciences.
Beside that Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda area has many advantages viz.
· Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda area is well connected to most of the regions in the state and emerging as a central location for on going industrial activities in Odisha such as Sambalpur – Angul – Cuttack – Bhubaneswar belt, Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela belt, Jharsuguda – Sambalpur – Lanjigarh – Rayagada – Koraput belt, and Sambalpur – Jharsuguda – Korba – Bilaspur-Raipur belt. Apart from the existing Industries, several major industries are coming up in this region including Vedanta Aluminum in Jharsuguda. These Industries will provide an extremely good environment to the students and staffs of Indian Institute of Management for carrying out various management related consulting projects and student internships.
· Sambalpur and Rourkela city area are two major metropolitan areas of the state. Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda is more accessible for students from all the districts of western Orissa.
· The AAI is taking initiatives to establish an airport in Jharsuguda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jharsuguda_Airport). Moreover, this area is well connected to Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Nagpur, Ranchi, and Mumbai by rail.
· The Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda area has all the necessary amenities like road connectivity, hotels, malls, restaurants, bookshops and parks which will definitely attract world class faculties for this Institute.
Therefore, the central govt should establish the Indian Institute of Management at Sambalpur city of western Odisha.
Thank you and best regards,
Sanjib
References:
1. http://www.tathya.in/news/story.asp?sno=4395, http://wp.me/pFC4h-G6
—
Dr. Sanjib Kumar Karmee, PhD
Department of Biotechnology
Delft University of Technology
Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft,
The Netherlands
Vedanta University: Lanjigarh versus Puri
Following letter was sent to westernodisha@googlegroups.com:
Dear All,
When an incredible and elegant solution stares you in your face, you have to be completely dysfunctional and utterly intellectually challenged not to take it. Yet this is the current situation about location of Vedanta University. Locating the university in the vicinity of Lanjigarh solves several problems at one stroke, yet sixty milers want to locate it near Puri. Incredible.
It will be good,very good, for the entire KBK region,particularly for the large number of Adivashis will sacrifice not only their home and hearth, but their way of life. They being largely illiterate and possessing no marketable skills, they will be disoriented and will have insurmountable difficulties to carve out a new life with the few rupees they will get in exchange for their habitat. With an institution of the size proposed, there will be good job opportunities. Hopefully the institution will spawn a variety of ancillary industries, and other institutions which can give them good chance of a good alternate livelihood.
KBK has been a sink hole where various large scale attempts that have been made to rehabilitate into a healthy society have just been failures and the vast amount of money simply disappears. Vedant University will be strong and reliable anchor in the community which will automatically attract various infrastructures which the entire region so desperately needs. A critical mass of literate and sophisticated population will develop because of adjacent Central University in Koraput, and thus a new nucleus of educational excellence will be generated. And some day, the kids of those displaced Adivashis may be managers of Vedanta and other institutions. And civil servants who find all kinds of excuses not to be located,they will eagerly compete to be there.
Vedanta will benefit tremendously because its image of a ruthless destroyer of habitat of disadvantaged populace and mindless destroyer of environment; that image will change into a benevolent philanthropist and builder of healthy society. Mind you, it still has to be a good caretaker of the environment and has to actively engage to protect the sensitive ecology of the region. My feeling is that the local populace will actively cooperate with Vedanta to see that Vedanta becomes a successful profitable venture at the same time jointly engage in protecting the ecology.
The unnecessary confrontation between Vedanta on one side and environmentalists and displaced Adivashis can be avoided. Vedanta will emerge as a hero, and can serve as a role model for other mining enterprises. At the same time it will avoid confrontation with Puri-ites regarding land accumulation for building the university.
It will also be great for Orissa government. Many from Koshala or Western Orissa including me are very critical of Orissa government for over concentrating practically most human resource development activities in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar leaving rest of Orissa largely untouched. Location of Vedanta University in Kalahandi will be first good step to address the inequity, and hopefully this will be followed by similar gestures throughout Orissa away from the sixty mile strip. Location of Vedanta University will cost the government nothing. Cash strapped Orissa government has not been able to manage adequately the institutions of higher learning. Now it can focus in strengthening the existing ones. And the long neglected huge population of Adivashis,who are literally dying because the government has put their horrendous problems under the carpet, will have some ray of hope of good future.
Some argue that the decision of location of Vedanta university in Puri was the decision of Vedanta not Orissa government. But is the Orissa government is so weak that major educational development is surrendered to a industrial house ? With such a majority in the Orissa assembly, one would think that the government is full control of what happens in the state.
Therefore only conclusion one can derive from such decision is that Navin’s government is simply a regionalistic one dominated by self-centered “academics” and “intelligentsia” with no vision of overall development of Orissa; and this really the way they want. These self centered folks are not interested in reduction of inter-regional disparity, or are interested in rational solutions of the problems. They are simply engaged in rationalisation of the decisions which irrational in essence.
So do you think that wisdom will prevail, and Vedanta University will be located in Kalahandi after all ? Do not hold your breath. The change of status of dysfunctional to functional is not in the cards.
Regards
Professor Arjun Purohit,Kingston, Ontario, Canada
E-mail:apurohit1934@gmail.com
KDDF proposed education development in Western Orissa
Following is a report from MeriNews :
WELCOMING FORMATION of Higher Education Task Force, members of Koshal Dishcussion and Development Forum (KDDF) has send a proposal to the chief minister of Orissa, Higher Education Task Force and government of Orissa to focus on the development of higher education in various neglected centers of Western Orissa viz Sambalpur, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Balangir and Suderdarh. The members have categorically presented the various reasons for which Western Orissa is having poor literacy rate as compared to coastal Orissa and has lower gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education. One of the serious concerns pointed out was political negligence.
Political negligence
Politically, Western Orissa or Koshal region of Orissa has been seriously neglected in higher education. Most of the new Central government institutions are coming in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and South Orissa region and not a single one is established in Western Orissa which lacks sufficient number of higher educational and research institutions despite consisting a vast area and population. The state government has at the last moment betrayed for a Central University in Kalahandi and ignored demand of IIT in Sambalpur. Recently, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College was also not feasible in Balangir whereas, National Steel Institute was established in Puri instead of Sundergarh. The continuous political negligence towards Western Orissa should be stopped for the betterment of this region in higher education.
Improving faculties in existing major colleges
Without improving present infrastructure GER in higher education will never enhance. Most of the major colleges in Western Orissa are being neglected by state government. Presently, there are many regular vacant faculty posts existing in G M Autonomous College Sambalpur, Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna, Panchayat College Bargarh, Rajendra Autonomous College Balangir, Government Autonomous College Sundergarh etc. In fact, condition of higher education in Western Orissa is further downgraded in the last 10 years by directly affecting GER. For example, Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna (GACB) has 38 vacant regular posts at this moment unlike a decade ago.
There were eight faculties serving in Chemistry department of GACB a decade ago and now only two of them are serving for the whole college. Same is the case in other departments and colleges in Western Orissa. Without adequate number of faculties, how GER in higher education will improve? We propose that within a year, sufficient number of regular faculties should be recruited for the above colleges in Western Orissa on regular basis. As state government claims most of the time faculties from other parts of Orissa are unwilling to serve in Kalahandi, Balangir and other regions of Western Orissa, therefore, regular faculties in this region should be recruited in the local level through local level tests opening the possibility for candidates from the whole state.
Unitary universities and autonomous colleges
G M Autonomous College, Sambalpur and Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna were among first three colleges along with Ravenshaw Autonomous College Cuttack chosen by UGC as ‘Potential Centre of Excellence’ in Orissa. Ravenshaw Autonomous College was converted to a Unitary University by the state government which helps in its growth and getting UGC funding, whereas both G M Autonomous College Sambalpur and Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna are still being neglected by the state government. These two colleges should be immediately converted to Unitary Universities. Similarly Panchayat College Bargarh, Government Autonomous College Sundergarh and Rajendra Autonomous College Balangir should be expanded to full-fledged educational institutes by opening PG courses including computer sciences, management, biotechnology and nursing.
New Central and state government institutions
Since Western Orissa lacks sufficient number of higher educational institutions and opening new campuses is as expensive as establishing new institution, establishing new central and state government institutions and upgrading present existing institutions to higher level would be beneficial for Western Orissa in general.
A branch of Central Rice Institute should come-up in Bargarh. An Indian Institute of Management should be established in Sambalpur and steel institute in Sundergarh. National University should be established in Western Orissa. Along this line, keeping sentiment of Kalahandi people, the proposed National University in Bhubaneswar should be pursued with the Central government to establish in Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi. Also, we urge to establish the proposed Health University Balangir.
Converting to university
BPUT in Rourkela should be converted to a full-fledged science and technology university having education and research in the line of Anna University Chennai. Similarly, Agriculture College at Bhawanipatna should be converted to a full-fledged agriculture and animal husbandry university. The Harishankar and Gandhamardan Mountain provides adequate atmosphere to have a university for ayurvedic and herbal medicine. We urgue to combine Sri Nrusinghanath Ayurvedic College, Paikmal, Bargarh and the Government Ayurvedic Colleges in Balangir and establish University of Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine. VSS medical college should be pursued to be made an AIIMS type institution.
Memorandum against neglecting Koshal region while establishing Higher Educational Institution in Orissa
To
Dr. Manmohan Singh, honourable Prime Minister of India
cc
Smt. Pratibha Patil, honourable President of India
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, honourable UPA chairperson
Mr. L. K. Advani, honourable leader of opposition
Mr. Kapil Sibal, honourable union minister of Human Resource Development
Mr. Naveen Patnaik, honourable Chief Minister of Orissa
Members of Parliemant from Orissa
Dear honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Singh,
We would like to draw your kind attention towards the negligence caused to ‘Western Orissa’ — also known as “Dakhin Koshal” or “Koshal region” — by Orissa state Government in financial, infrastructural, social and higher educational sectors. In fact, many well known leaders who have visited this region such as former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi, Chandra Sekhar, Narasimha Rao and A B Vajpayee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, leader of opposition L. K. Advani and congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi have declared that the problem in Western Orissa or Koshal region crops up due to the continuous negligence of the Orissa Government.
As per recent census, population of costal bordering Orissa (CBO) from Balasore to Ganjam is 1.96 times higher than that of Koshal region, whereas geographical area of CBO is 1.36 times smaller than that of Koshal region. Literacy rate of Koshal region is 4.8 % lower than that of average of Orissa state and 11.5 % lower than that of CBO. This means Koshal region needs two times higher investment in roads and infrastructure and 12 % higher investment in education, which may be around 10 -20 % of the state budget as additional funds. Total budget for the state Government of Orissa in the current financial year 2009-10 was estimated as Rs. 35,000 crore whereas budget allotted to Western Orissa Development Council is 80 crore (0.23%). Unfortunately such budget is always fixed without considering inflation and volume of the state budget. With this propositon of token amount the difference will widen every year and can not be minimized.
More to it, the qualitative assessment based on map gives CBO an advantage over Koshal region in length of state highways per every 1000 km in Orissa. Unlike many other states almost all the proposed central Government sponsored major national institutions or hospitals are being established in CBO and other region, particularly in Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region and none of them was established in Koshal region (see link in Appendix 1). Ever since early sixties, number of higher educational facilities in Koshal region have been practically frozen unlike in the coastal area, and more particularly in Bhubaneswar-Puri-Cuttack region.
While Koshal region has seen rapid industrialization, there is no corresponding and matching human resource growth. Consequently, one of the important objectives, that is, employment opportunities for the people of Koshal region have not been properly fulfilled. While local inhabitants have access to low paying jobs, primarily as mazdoors and clerks; most jobs requiring technical skills have gone to outsiders, especially in the private sector industries. Due to the social inequality Maoism is spreading and gaining ground in the region.
There has been continuous demand in this region to establish fully central Government higher educational institution in the region. However, the way Orissa Government betrayed the interest of Kalahandi to establish a Central University and ignored Sambalpur/Rourkela for an IIT has been most unfortunate incident for the people of Koshal region in the few past years.
For educational development of Koshal region we urge you to stop continuing to neglect and establish the following educational institution in the region.
(1) National University: Bhubaneswar is already having or is proposed to have NISER, IIT, AIIMS etc which are of the same stature of national university, apart from railway medical college and many national level research institutions. Among 14 states selected for National University, Bhubaneswar is the only location where the state Govt. is proposing IIT, NISER (similar to IISER/IISc) and National University are coming in one place which is blatant violation in words and spirit of Directive Principle of State Policy of Constitution of India. So keeping the Constitution of India and steps of other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharastra, Rajasthan, UP etc in view National University proposed in Orissa by MHRD should also go to a city other than state capital. In fact as per Yash Pal committee, all the proposed IIT should be like National University, so there is no point keeping two national universities in one location, rather the National University should be established in Western Orissa or Koshal region. Kalahandi has lost the opportunity to get a central University earlier. Local people, students, youths, intelligentsia, KSNM and KSVP have been demanding a central /national University in Kalahandi since 1988 and the Chief Minister of Orissa did an injustice to all such effort by not keeping his promise to establish Central University at Kalahandi at last moment, people are more displeased and frustrated over this development and are continuing their struggle. This should be compensated by the State Government by proposing Central Govt. to establish the National University in Kalahandi or Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region where a second airport is being proposed. Let the site selection committee of Central Government take a call on whether to choose Kalahandi or Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region for establishing such institute. Let there be no political gimmick like last time when the State Govt. proposed three sites near Bhubaneswar for establishing IIT completely forgetting his promise to establish IIT at Burla-Sambalpur region on the eve of election. Let there be no violation of Indian Constitution and let the Govt. take steps keeping common peoples requirement and demand in mind.
(2) IIM: Both Sambalpur and Berhampur were considered as regional centers along with Bhubaneswar/Cuttack region. There are already many national institutions coming around Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region, whereas there was a single proposal for IIIT in Berhampur and Sambalpur-Burla has not got any national institution so far and has only suffered from blind industrialization, unsustainable mining and environmental degradation. From social, infrastructural and industrial point of view, being industrial hub Burla-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda (BSJ) region would serve as a second knowledge center in Orissa. It has all the required infrastructure. So we urge you to establish a new IIM in BSJ region, convert VSS medical college to AIIMS-type institution and VSS University of Technology to IIEST and National Institute of Design in this region.
(3) Medical College: In the entire Koshal region there is only one medical college in Burla, which is about to be downgraded due to the lack of adequate number of professors as well as other requirements. Recently Orissa government has taken away entire neurology department from this college to be instituted in one of the medical colleges in coastal area in the state. Intervention from the center is required in this matter. Secondary and tertiary medical facilitates in the Koshal region is worst affected since decades which is well documented from the recent death from diarrhea in Kalahandi district. Unlike costal Orissa the distance between medical college at Burla and interior Koshal such as Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundegarh, Boudh, Padampur etc is very large and patients need to travel long distance before getting adequate treatment. Therefore, Orissa state Govt. and Central Govt. should make sure to establish either state or central Govt. run medical colleges in Kalahandi, Balangir and Sundergarh. Most suitable location of ESIC medical college is Rourkela, the third most populous city in Orissa, because fifty percent of the insured come from the region. Hopefully, ESIC medical college is established at Rourkela of Sundergarh district and initiative should be taken for fully Govt. medical colleges in Kalahandi and Balangir either through Central University of Orissa or state Government.
(4) Vedanta University: Industrial houses like Vedanta is depleting mineral resources in Koshal region and establishing processing plants, but they are encouraged by the state government to establish higher educational facilities in Puri. It’s not at all fair, especially because people in Puri region can access to all kinds of higher education due to higher concentration educational resources at a stone’s throw. Vedanta is mining and destroying the environment in Lanjigarh. Large numbers of poor and tribal people are affected by the Vedanta industrialization in Kalahandi and Jharsuguda. There is also opposition to the proposed Vedanta University in Puri, therefore, for the benefits of a backward place Vedanta University should be established in Kalahandi and it should open another branch in Jharsuguda.
(5) General University: Recently state and central Govt. have established many Universities in the state; however, unfortunately Koshal region is totally neglected. New general state Universities are urgently required in Kalahandi, Balangir and Sundergarh. Demand for Universities in Kalahandi and Balangir is long standing. There are opportunities which the state Government is not utilizing due to its negligence towards the Koshal region such as, Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) in Lanjigarh could provide financial support to the state Govt. to establish Vedanta Kalahandi University (a state Govt. institution) through local development program in Kalahandi district. Orissa state Govt. should take such initiative in this regard. Similarly, central Government should come up with a road map to make Central University of Orissa at Koraput to be KBK centric by establishing two more branches of it in Kalahandi and Balangir.
(6) Polytechnic College: Barring University College of Engineering at Burla (now declared to be a university after a long struggle, but not adequately funded) and NIT in Rourkela, Koshal region does not have any significant number of trade schools and polytechnics which can provide appropriate skills to fill the skilled jobs. Ordinary and regular colleges do not provide occupation-based relevant skills. So in addition to University and medical colleges, Koshal region needs lots of polytechnics and institutions like North American style Community Colleges. Due to recent industrial growth in the region, state or central Govt. polytechnic colleges should be established in Boudh, Nuapada, Sonepur, Bargarh, Deogarh and Athamallik and each block of Koshal region should have an ITI.
(7) IT Park: State Govt. has already established IT parks in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Berhampur and planning to establish another one in Balasore. Sambalpur is fourth largest city and BSJ region has greater potential to evolve as second knowledge center in the state. Nothing has been done in this regard; it is high time such IT park is also established in BSJ region.
(8) Steel Institute: Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh region is known for steel production in Orissa but Biju Pattanaik National Steel Institute (BPNSI) was established in Puri due to step motherly treatment towards the region. A steel institute as par with BPNSI should be established in Rourkela or Sundergarh district
(9) Textile Park & Agriculture University: Agriculture is backbone for KBK region and Kalahandi is centrally located among KBK districts. Therfore, an Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University should be estblished in Kalahandi. Similarly, for cotton production Kalahandi tops in Orissa along with Balangir and Rayagada districts. However, instead of establishing textile park in Kalahandi, Orissa Govt. is encouraging textile park in Berhampur. Government should immediately establish a textile and cotton processing park in Kalahandi so that local economy of backward Kalahandi, Balangir, Rayagada etc region gets benefited.
(10) KBK politics: State Government always make large noise towards development of KBK region but any central Government proposal or issue like KBK head quarter comes at the state Government level both Kalahandi and Balangir are always sidelined while locating such establishment.
We hope you along with the state Government will take urgent and necessary steps accordingly for the above cited issues.
Thank you and best regards
Members of Koshal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF) & well wishers
[Note: KDDF is forum of global people interested in development of Koshal region of Orissa, in other words Western Orissa. Historical significance of Koshal is much broader than the term associated with separate state movement. KDDF is a non-political and non-separatist organization interested in bringing development to Western Orissa and simultaneously popularize significance of Koshal among general mass in similar spirit like for Utkala or Kalinga is done and it does not associate with separate state movement rather encourage people to be proud for their Koshal historical route.]
Appendix 1
Click to access Central-funded-Institutions-for-higher-studies-and-research1.pdf
Click to access State-funded-Institutions-for-higher-learning1.pdf
Click to access Private-Universities-Institutions1.pdf
Signature collected through online petition from KDDF members & well wishers:
Kosal Discussion and Development Forum 