MP Saptagiri Ulaka seeks Rs 500 crore for CUO

BHUBANESWAR: Koraput Lok Sabha MP Saptagiri Ulaka on Tuesday raised the issue of poor funding to Central University of Odisha (CUO) on the floor of the lower house and sought Rs 500 crore for the university for its infrastructure development and construction of an integrated science complex. 

Participating in the demand for grants discussion, the MP said the university requires grants from the Centre for development of its infrastructure. Yet to receive any grant for building projects since 2016-17, the CUO had approached the Ministry of Education seeking Rs 442 crore. However, it was asked to approach the Higher Education Funding Agency to avail up to Rs 200 crore in the form of loan 10 per cent of which needs to be paid by the university in 10 years from its internal resource generation (IRG).

The MP also highlighted the large scale vacancies of posts reserved for members of ST community in the university and urged the Ministry to expedite recruitment to these posts. He also urged the Union Education Minister to intervene for establishment of a chair on Tribal Studies by the university.