Bhubaneswar: Work on four new colleges under the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has gained momentum, with Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared, campus sites identified and ₹50 crore sanctioned for the institutions.
Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo reviewed the progress of the four proposed colleges during a meeting on Thursday.
The new institutions include the College of Agriculture in Mayurbhanj, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry in Sambalpur, College of Fisheries in Sonepur and another College of Agriculture in Balangir.
The Mayurbhanj agriculture college has made further progress, with 60 students enrolled for the current academic session. Classes at the campus are scheduled to begin shortly. Recruitment-related preparations have also been completed with the creation of 77 posts, including 24 teaching and 53 non-teaching positions covering ministerial and technical staff.
Enrollment and commencement of classes at the remaining three colleges are planned from the next academic session.
During the review, officials informed the Deputy Chief Minister that temporary as well as permanent campus sites for all four institutions have been identified and the DPRs have been completed.
The expansion is aimed at strengthening Odisha’s capacity in agricultural, veterinary and fisheries education and creating greater access to specialised education in different regions of the state.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department Prem Chandra Chaudhary, OUAT Vice-Chancellor Dr Prabhat Kumar Roul and Collectors of the four districts participated in the review meeting through video conferencing.
