Non-Resident Odia Dr Digambara Patra, Associate Professor of Chemistry, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, has urged the Union Human Resources Minister Prakash Javadekar to establish an off-campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Kalahandi.
He said that the Central Government had agreed to set up the university branch in Thuamul Rampur of Kalahandi eight years back after there were protests across the district against the move to establish the Central University of Orissa at Koraput. The BJP under the leadership of late three -time Kalahandi MP Bikram Kishore Deo had protested the apathy shown to Kalahandi. In the face of the agitation, the Union Government had assured to establish the off- campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Kalahandi in 2009.
In 2010, the Additional District Magistrate, Kalahandi had identified and forwarded land in the tribal dominated Thuamul Rampur region for the campus. However, since then the issue is pending.
Justifying the suitability of Thuamul Rampur as location for the university, Patro said the block has more than 50 per cent tribal population. It is one of the most backward blocks in the State as well as in the nation. No major developmental initiatives in higher education and medical college have been made for this block since past 64 years. Local tribal population have been neglected and marginalised while accessing to higher education and medical schools in the State and national level despite its richness. Besides, Thuamul Rampur is geographically located in the central location of the major tribal blocks located in Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts. It is also a central point for all backward KBK districts and tribal and Maoists dominated regions in south and western Odisha.
Besides, a good road has come to connect the proposed and identified site in Thuamul Rampur with Bhawanipatna, which is getting rail connectivity, in one and a half hours. Similarly, a good road has come to connect Thuamul Rampur with Rayagada and Koraput via Kashipur, he said.