Khallikote Autonomous College to become first Cluster University of Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on 29 April, 2015 laid the foundation stone to upgrade 137-year-old Khallikote Autonomous College of Berhampur to become first Cluster University of the State.

During his whirlwind trip by helicopter to his home district Ganjam on 29 April, the CM took part in a series of foundation stone laying ceremonies. It included a proposed 100-bed super-speciality eye care hospital at Samarjhola in Hinjli Assembly segment represented by Mr Patnaik. This eye hospital would be managed by Sankar Eye Hospital of Tamil Nadu. Tata Steel has proposed to invest Rs.42.3 crore on this project.

Mr. Patnaik also laid foundation stone for an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Shergarh, again in his Assembly segment. This ITI is proposed to be established at Bhusanda of Shergarh block with support of the NTPC that has signed a MoU with the Odisha government to make capital expenditure of Rs.7.72 crore for this project.

At the Berhampur University campus, Mr Patnaik laid foundation stone for Khallikote cluster university as well as for the satellite campus of Berhampur University in Rayagada. The proposed Khallikote Cluster University would include the Khallikote Autonomous College and four other colleges including S. D. Women’s College and Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur, and government colleges at Chhatrapur and Gopalpur. It is envisioned that this first cluster university of Odisha would start operating from current academic session. Funds to upgrade this heritage autonomous college to a cluster university would be provided under the Rashtriya Uchachatara Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

According to sources Rs.18 crore have already been sanctioned this year for Khallikote Cluster University project. Apart from its existing campus in Berhampur, the administration has already identified 20 acres of extra land for the cluster university on the outskirts of the city.

Mr Patnaik was the chief guest of the students’ union function at Berhampur University. He urged the students to work hard and declared that around Rs.60 crore is to be spent on infrastructure development of the university. Naveen Patnaik laid foundation stones of many projects in his home district