People of Kalahandi are grateful to the Naveen Patnaik Government for having granted establishment of two professional institutions for the first time
. Retired professor of Sambalpur University Gopabandhu Behera, in his letter to the Chief Minister, has lauded his initiative to set up institutions in this backward part of the State.
Never before had the Government started any institution of higher education of its own, said Prof Behera. People of Kalahandi have set up all institutions on their own despite their hand-to-mouth financial conditions. This shows people's participation was always there.
However, the people are not able to establish institutions like university and management institutes. Prof Behera reminds that leading persons of Kalahandi had moved for establishment of a central university in the district. But the Chief Minister was good enough to point out that since he had already committed to Koraput district for establishment of this university he would sanction other institutions for Kalahandi.
The Task Force on Higher Education has recommended establishment of a South Western Odisha (SWO) University at the Kalahandi district headquarters town of Bhawanipatna.
Prof Behera says that if one examines objectively, he will find that Bhawanipatna is another centre like Bhubaneswar waiting for development. The recommendation of the Task Force can be implemented phase-wise. Hence, establishment of a university at Bhawanipatna has to be undertaken in the first phase. If a suitable Officer on Special Duty (OSD) is appointed, the university can flourish, observes Prof Behera.
Prof Digambara Patra, a leading non-resident Odia (NRO) has also all along been batting for this university in Bhawanipatna.