local leaders should not let the chance slip away
It is unfortunate that the State Government only has chosen the much-hyped Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to be set up in either of the six districts of Khordha, Ganjam, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Sundargarh and Koraput.
The undeveloped Dhenkanal has been ignored even though the district fulfils all conditions laid down by the Union HRD Ministry for establishment of the institute of national importance. More deplorable is that none of the leaders of the district has shouted for the IIM in the district though an educational institute of the cadre is an urgent need here.
The Dhenkanal district has several advantages including being close to the capital city of Bhubaneswar. Hence, in terms of road and air connectivity there would not be any problem if the IIM comes up in Dhenkanal. Already the district has a national level institute like the IIMC.
The institute has been flourishing with adequate infrastructure and all the guests or faculties coming to the institute are using the facilities at Bhubaneswar. It takes just one and a half hours to reach Dhenkanal from Bhubaneswar.
What is important is this hilly and forest clad district has lots of land and a healthy ambience. At least if the institute is set up in Dhenkanal, it can get an ideal ambience for study and research. It is comparatively calmer and pollution free than Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The district despite being very close to both Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has been languishing in underdevelopment in every sphere including education. There is a bigger patch which has been
Maoist infested. Because of their backwardness, many villages in the Kankadahad block of the district are fast falling into the hands of the Maoists. The cluster is deficient of adequate social infrastructure and basic amenities.
The district has also a sizable chunk of tribal population, which still remains steeped in acute poverty. The Parjang and Kamakhyanagar Assembly constituencies are highly backward. They have been deprived of train linkage as yet. The roads are neglected as much as all other amenities for the common people.
There is neither any good school or college nor a mega industrial project in the two Assembly segments. Only the IGIT, Sarang is a beacon light. Nevertheless, there is no dearth of land for establishment of any big ticket project or educational institution in the area.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was an MlA from this area. In fact his debut term as an MlA was from here. So he is very much acquainted with the sheer backwardness of Parjang and Kamakhyanagar.
If a reputed institute like the IIM is set up in the area, it will certainly boost its growth. The Minister, therefore, should strive for the establishment of the IIM in this area.
This apart, the CM who is so giving so much stress on balanced socio-economic growth of the State must look at the backward region like Parjang and Kamakhyanagar and consider any spot for the establishment of the premier institute.