NCC training complex on the anvil in Odisha's Sambalpur

SAMBALPUR: To promote training of students opting for National Cadet Corps (NCC), the Higher Education department is mulling to start a centre in Sambalpur.  The district administration has reportedly started the process of identifying land for the complex following a letter issued by the Higher Education department.

Higher Education minister Rohit Pujari said, “Sambalpur is emerging as the education hub of western Odisha. Many new institutions have come up in the western Odisha city and many of them are offering NCC which provides exposure to the cadets in a wide range of activities, with a distinct emphasis on social services, teamwork, discipline and adventure training. It acts as a platform for all-round development of students. Hence, the plan is directed towards promoting NCC.”

The minister said, after the training complex comes up, the NCC would be able to conduct all its training, including camps, from a single place. “We are waiting for the district administration to come up with a suitable land for the project.”

Reportedly, the last communication in this regard was sent to the district administration on December 21, 2022. The letter of the director, Higher Education stated, “The state advisory committee at its meeting under the chairmanship of the Higher Education minister has decided to develop a training complex for the NCC cadets. For setting up of the training complex, 5 acre of land is required. Therefore you are requested to take steps to allocate 5 acre of land in the vicinity of Sambalpur for development of the training complex.”Collector Ananya Das said, “The land identification is on, we have suggested some areas.”