It was on March 4 last when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had declared Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar’s second campus at Rourkela at a time when the residents were disheartened over the IIM issue.
Many had said the Chief Minister’s recommending Sambalpur for the Odisha IIM and declaring the XIMB campus for Rourkela is a double bonanza for western Odisha.
Notably, that time Patnaik had drawn flak in Rourkela after he wrote in favour of Sambalpur for the IIM as many organizations and political parties here had been demanding the premier business school in Rourkela right from the time the announcement for IIM in Odisha was made in 2014.
Even though the Opposition party leaders including BJP and Congress here were not against IIM in Sambalpur, they very cunningly were targeting Patnaik, saying that they would have been happier if Rourkela was recommended for the IIM. It was clearly understood that in coming days, the BJD may be targeted on the IIM issue.
However, the sudden declaration for a second XIMB campus at Rourkela by Patnaik saved the BJD here. While simply welcoming the steps, the Opposition parties preferred to keep themselves away from making further comments. Political slugfest over management institution apart, the XIMB decision was widely hailed by the intellectuals and students.
But since then there were no news of development on the project on the one side and in other, the State Government’s declaration for IISER at Brahmapur has again put the BJD in target of the Opposition parties. It is alleged that the XIMB campus declaration was a political game plan of Patnaik to divert attention of the people from IIM setback.
But now with the Chief Minister giving nod for the second XIMB campus at Rourkela, it has again provided oxygen to BJD keeping opposition tongue in cheek. Even when it is declared that the RSP will provide land with other supports it is ascertained that the campus will be in Rourkela city itself.
Susanta Mohanty, a final year commerce student who plans to pursue his further career in management, says he is happy that in a short span of time, the State Government has moved for two premier management institutions in western Odisha, the one at Sambalpur and the other at Rourkela.
Partha Agarwal of Rourkela Municipal College said now the local students will have better opportunity to pursue management courses at their door step.