Currently India has one operational Central Agricultural University in the North East. However, in last year’s budget there was some seed money for a Central Agricultural University in Bundelkhand. We wrote the planning commission (with cc to Odisha CM, Odisha MPs and Odisha officers) in May 2011 for a Central Agricultural University in backward district clusters of India. In July 2011 West Bengal started pursuing a Central Agricultural University and its very likely that they would get one.
Odisha CM must at the earliest ask for a Central Agricultural University in Odisha. Please immediately write to cmo@ori.nic.in (he is in Delhi for the next few days) asking him to ask for a Central Agricultural University in Odisha. He must do that before the budget session in the parliament that starts next week. A 2-3 line email such as the following is fine.
Dear Esteemed Chief Minister: Please request the Agriculture ministry at the center for a Central Agricultural University. There is high likelihood that some other states will be getting such universities. Odisha must ask for one. Sincerely, XYZ.
See https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/7056 for some background on this. See also http://on.fb.me/y6hdoP and http://bit.ly/x2t3RD for couple of articles on this.
March 7th, 2012
Following is an excerpt from a report in Orissadiary.
Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik today met the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi. Chief Minister informed the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare that the proposal to raise the number of seats for admission to MBBS Course from 150 to 250, would necessitate significant increase in the infrastructure of the Medical Colleges in the State.
He requested that the three Medical Colleges of the State may be approved for upgradation to AIIMS like Institutions under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) along with sanction of Rs.432 crore for the purpose. He added that the State has identified an alternative site for establishment of a Regional Institute of Paramedical Sciences at Bhubaneswar for which Government of India may sanction the funds forming part of Central Share component.
… Chief Minister urged upon the Union Minister to appreciate the just needs of the State for augmenting medical infrastructure and creating new specialized medical institutions. He requested the Union Minister to establish a National Cancer Institute at Bhubaneswar and a Regional Geriatric Centre at SCB Medical College, Cuttack. He further informed that State has already identified 20 acres of land for setting up of the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy. Accordingly, Government of India may sanction the required funds to enable early establishment of the Institute along with 100 bedded Hospital, at the earliest.
… The Union Minister assured the Chief Minister that the issues raised by him will receive priority attention of the Ministry. He agreed to provide necessary funds for upgrading the infrastructure of the three Medical Colleges in the State.
… Union Minister promised to take urgent steps for establishing the Regional Institute of Para Medical Sciences at Bhubaneswar.
He assured that the Central Share for the Odisha State Treatment Fund shall be released very shortly and that additional funds will be provided for strengthening the Regional Cancer Centre at Cuttack. Further, the request of Odisha for a stand-alone Cancer Institute will be considered as and when adequate funds are available for the purpose in the Central Budget.
Union Minister agreed to establish a Regional Geriatric Centre at SCB Medical College, Cuttack and requested that Government of Odisha may handover the identified 20 acres of land for setting up of Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy.
We have been writing the CMO and others about approaching the Health ministry regarding the upgradation of the state medical colleges. See:
It took a long time, but its good that he finally did it.
I hope he also pursues a Central Agricultural University in Odisha. More on this in a separate post.
March 7th, 2012