Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 21: The process of upgrading 50-year-old Rama Devi (RD) Women’s College into a women university has landed in a controversy with the proposal to set up its second campus on Utkal University campus.
The state government has decided to accord university status to RD Women’s College earlier this year for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs 55 crore for its infrastructure development. As the college campus is inadequate for its functioning, the authorities have been mulling construction of a second campusin Vani Vihar.
The second campus idea was reportedly been proposed by the state higher education department, but the University authorities are in no mood to share their land with RD College for which a controversy has erupted.
“We haven’t been informed of any such move by the higher education department till now. Even if we receive such proposal, we won’t be able to share the land as we have other plans,” said vice-chancellor Ashok Das.
When contacted, Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahy said the second campus idea in Vani Vihar was floated by some officials, but as they are opposed to the idea before the announcement, the department will look for an alternative option. “The matter will be resolved as we begin to identify land,” Panigrahy said.
The RD College, which has 25-acre land, needs more space to expand its campus. The future of its Plus II Colleges has also been hanging fire as the authorities have not yet been able to decide where to accommodate them.
The Utkal University with its 400-acre campus has several projects up its sleeve including development of an energy-efficient and eco-friendly campus, establishing a bio-technology chair after educationist Pranakrushna Parija and a centre for entrepreneurship development
and training.
