Comparative Study between Kalahandi and Koraput for the proposed Central University in KBK region of Orissa

Introduction:
Initially starvation death, famine and child selling were reported from undivided Kalahandi district of Orissa and since then Kalahandi is associated with starvation death and backwardness in the media. However, later on starvation death was also reported from the neighboring undivided Balangir district. The other neighboring district to Kalahandi is a tribal dominated backward undivided Koraput district. Therefore, for socio-economic development of the region in 1990s KBK developmental project was proposed by Govt. of India by combining undivided districts of Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput and since then politically and socially known as backward KBK region.

Demand for a Central University (CU) in KBK is a long standing issue since 1988. Initially in 1988 Kalahandi took a leading role regionally to establish such a University in Kalahandi. Later on social organizations such as Central University “Kalahandi Kriyanusthan Committee” and “Kalahandi Sikhya Bikash Parsishad” pursued this matter seriously since the year 2000 and many memorandums, individual letters, group letters, emails, fax letters were submitted to Orissa state Government and central Government from all over the world in the last few years to establish a CU in Kalahandi. A memorandum containing 80 000 signatures was submitted on 14 January 2002 to both central and state Government to establish a CU in Kalahandi. 4000 postcard letter were sent in this. Media has been continuously covering this matter.

In 2005-2006 the demand for a central University in KBK became serious with the involvement of intellectuals and non-resident Indians from the state (Reference: http://kbkcentral.blogspot.com/). Intellectuals and politicians across Orissa irrespective of party supported the idea. A proposal to establish a multi-campus University in KBK was also submitted to Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) through the Orissa Government. In fact, with similar idea MHRD later on proposed to establish Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) with multiple campuses across various states in India. Issue of a CU in KBK came to the parliament of India. In 2007 Mr Chandra Sekhar Sahu, honourable Union minister of Govt. of India gave a statement to the Business Standard to establish an Indian Institute of Information Technology in Berhampur (his home constituency) and Central University in Korpaut (constituency of another present sitting MP and senior congress leader from Orissa, Mr Giridhari Gomango).

Finally, Government of India proposed 31 central universities across India in the 11th plan.

These are:
(1) Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) at Amarkantak,
(2) 14 world class central universities (WCCU) to be distributed in tier II cities in various states across India (one in Orissa at Bhubaneswar), to be named as National University and
(3) 16 Central Universities (CU) to be located in the states that do not have any central university by 2008 (one in Orissa).

For the CU in category (3) many of the states in India proposed locations that are backward in higher education to minimize regional unequal distribution of higher educational institutions in the state level. Such as Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, Dehra in Himachal Pradesh, Gulberga in Karnataka, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Garhwal in Uttarakhand, Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, Goa etc have been selected for the proposed central university under state quota (category 3) by various states in India. Orissa Government also decided to establish such University in KBK region due to on going public pressure to establish a central university in the backward KBK region. (Reference: http://kbkcentral.blogspot.com/).

A delegation from Kalahandi consisting of intellectuals and professionals met the Chief Minister of Orissa, Mr Naveen Patnaik in May 2008 to establish the KBK central University in Kalahandi as it is centrally located to all KBK districts and major towns in KBK and has land and infrastructure available. Chief Minister of Orissa promised the delegation to use his goodwill in MHRD and to write a letter to Government of India to establish KBK CU in Kalahandi (Reported on May 8, 2008, The New Indian Express, Bhubaneswar). Mr Jagannath Patnaik, the former minister of Orissa also met Ms Sonia Gandhi in this regard (Reported on May 31, 2008, The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar).

Land and map details of 882 acres site chosen in Kalahandi by the district collector and local people for the proposed CU were submitted to the Chief Minister of Orissa in the form of a video CD through the district collector on July 8. 2008 (Reported on August 11, 2008, The Statesman, Bhubaneswar). But without studying the matter and visiting the site, suddenly the Chief Minister of Orissa sent a letter to MHRD, Government of India to establish CU in Koraput (Reported on August 6, 2008, The Statesman, Bhubaneswar) surprising many people and bringing more controversy to the matter.

To identify locations/sites for the announced IITs, IIMs, WCCUs and IGNTU in the 11th plan two major important parameters put forward by MHRD, Government of India, are the available infrastructure and regional distribution of national higher educational institution among various states. Here taking into consideration the above two parameters and other relevant points comparison is made between Kalahandi and Koraput for the proposed CU in the KBK region of Orissa.

Comparison:
1. Infrastructure:
Infrastructure has been a serious criterion to choose a location while establishing IIT, IIM and WCCU in the 11th plan in various cities of India. For example air and rail connectivity was given preference to establish IIT and WCCU in the 11th plan.

Land:
Land is important but most of the institutions like CU, WCCU, IIT, IIM, IGNTU, etc coming across India are using forest land. In fact in Orissa forest land is being allotted partially or fully to industries like Vedanta, Posco, Arcelor-Mittal, Tata, Jindal, Birla, Nalco etc towards industrialization.

Kalahandi: 882 acres of forest land has already been identified in the vicinity of district headquarter, Bhawanipatan, by people of Kalahandi and district collector. As per central Government announcement 500 acres of land is required for the proposed CU. Tel River is flowing near to the site and linked with Indravati dam.

Koraput: No concrete detail has been given to the media. As per Chief Minister’s initial announcement 500 acres of land is available near to Koraput for the porposed CU. However, this may also require approval by the forest Department. Kolab dam is located near to Koraput.

Airport:
Kalahandi: Identified site in Kalahandi is about 200 km from the Raipur Airport by National Highway 217 and superstate highway and also by Railway. Since Raipur becomes the capital of Chhattisgarh state, the city is growing much faster. A planned city, Naya Raipur, is being built as capital of Chhattisgarh which would be little closer to the proposed site. Airport comes earlier than Raipur city saving another 15 km for people in Kalahandi. Raipur-Bhilai is nationally known for metal and power based industries. About 180 metal based industries are located around Raipur and a Jewllery park of national standard coming up in Raipur. Population of Raipur-Bhilai-Durg would be more than Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. Bhilai is known to be an educational center (for medial and engg) in India, in some sense was better known than Rourkela/Bhubaneswar at the national level for IIT and other entrance exams. With IIM, AIIMS branch, IIIT, NIT coming up around Raipur, CU in Kalahandi may receive additional support in education and research cooperation and collaboration.

Nagpur Airport is being built as one of the major International Airport in India and is located about 500 km from the identified site in Kalahandi. Nagpur is a highly industrialize city having population twice of that of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack combined. Nagpur is centrally located in India and links four major metro cities in India. Identified site for CU in Kalahandi is directly linked to Nagpur by National highway and railway in about 500 km (much less than the distance between Nagpur and Mumbai)

Visakhapatnam Airport is located in about 315 km by railway from the identified site by railway and state and national highway. A WCCU has been proposed in Vishakhapatnam.

Bhubaneswar Airport is located about 450 km from the identified site for CU in Kalahandi and linked by state highway and railway (via Sambalpur in about 512 km by railway).

Ranchi Airport is located in 515 km by railway from the identified site in Kalahandi.

Proposed regular airport in Jharsuguda is located in about 250 km from the identified site by national highway and railway.

There are direct trains available on regular basis from Kesinga station, near to the proposed site for CU, in Kalahandi to the above cities having regular airports.

An aerodrome/airstrip is located at Utkela in about 9 km from the proposed site which can be a regular airport in future.

Koraput:
Visakhapatnam Airport is located in about 215 km from the identified site by railway and state and national highways. Population of Vishakapatnam is lower than Bhubaneswar-Cuttack combined but much higher than Bhubaneswar alone. Visakhapatnam is an industrial town in Southern India, known for steel and port. A WCCC has been recently proposed in the city which may support CU in Koraput/Kalahandi.

Bhubaneswar airport is located in about 680 km by railway (via Vizianagaram)

Hyderabad airport is located in about 900 km from Koraput (via Vishakapatnam).

Raipur airport is located in about 516 km from Koraput (via Rayagada)

Nagpur airport is located in about 816 km from Koraput (via Rayagada)

Proposed regular airport in Jharsuguda is located in about 550 km from Koraput by railway.

There are direct trains available from Koraput station, near to the proposed site in Korpaut for CU, to only Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar and Howrah where as to reach most of the other cities in India from Koraput one needs to change train at Vishakhapatnam (215 km from Koraput) or Rayagada (173 km from Koraput).

An aerodrome/airstrip is located at Jeypore in about 15 km (as per Orissa CM’s announcement) from the proposed site which can be a regular airport in future.

Railway and Direct Train:
Kalahandi: The nearest regular train station to the proposed site in Kalahandi is at Kesinga located about 20-25 km from the proposed site. This distance is comparable to the distance between nearby railway station and various proposed sites for IIT/WCCU/IIM/CU and present IIT/CU in other locations in India. Titilagarh which is one of the railway junctions is next to Kesinga station could be reached in 10-15 minuted by train from Kesinga. Direct trains are available from Kesinga to Vishakhapatnam, Howrah, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahemadabad, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Ranchi, Jamsedpur, Bokaro, Allepy, Raipur, Nagpur, Korba, Bilaspur etc and to Mumbai from Titilagarh. With recently proposed bridge over Tel River Titlagarh railway station can be reached within less than an hour from the proposed site for CU in Kalahandi. Kesinga station directly comes in the Vishakhapatnam – Raipur and Vishakhapatnam – Ranchi railway route (one of the oldest railway track in western Orissa). Rail connection to Bhawanipatna will be functional soon and would impact locally for the proposed site.

Koraput: The site is clearly unknown but various sources mention that the distance from Koraput railway station to the proposed site would be in between 15 to 30 km. Direct trains are available from Koraput to Vishakhapatnam, Howrah, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and Rourkela only. To reach most of the other major cities like, Delhi, Chennai. Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur etc in the country from Koraput one has to change train at either Rayagada (173 km from Koraput by train) or Visakhapatnam (215 km from Koraput by train). Frequency of passenger train at Koraput station is also much lower than Kesinga station and very much lower than Titilagarh station (13 km from Kesinga station). Koraput station comes under Koraput – Rayagada and Kottavalasa-Kirandul (largely for iron ore transportation) railway lines and it has limited passenger train services.

Road:
Kalahandi: National Highway 201 and 217 passes though Kalahandi directly linking it with Raipur, Nagpur, Sambalpur and Koraput. Superhighway and NH 5 connects it with Vishakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar.

Koraput: National Highway 201 and 43 passes though Koraput directly linking it with Bhubaneswar, Vishkhapatnam, Sambalpur and Bhawanipatna. NH43 connects it with Raipur and Nagpur.

2. Regional Distribution in KBK:
Realizing unequal distribution of higher educational institution among various states in India, in the 11th plan MHRD has given maximum importance to distribute IIT/IIM, WCCU and CU among various states equally. In case of establishing IGNTU at Amarkantak MHRD also pointed out that Amarkantak was selected because it is a central point in the tribal areas stretching between Madhya Pradesh, Chhattishgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. In the context of KBK central location should also get equal importance while establishing CU in KBK region.

Kalahandi: Kalahandi is centrally located not only to all KBK districts but also to backward region of Orissa in South Western region such as KBK districts plus Kandhamal, Bouda, Gajpati, Bargarh districts which are reported together by World Bank as most backward region in the country (Map given in Annexure A and B). Bhawanipatna is also centrally located among the major towns such as Koraput, Balangir, Rayagada, Titilagarh, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Phulbani, Bouda, Sonepur, Padampur, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jeypore, Sunbeda etc in KBK and other equally backward and tribal pockets in the region.

Towns having population 30 000 or above in Orissa within 200 km radius of Bhawanipatan/proposed site for CU: Koraput, Jeypore, Sunabeda, Rayagada, Phulbani, Balangir, Bargarh, Burla, Sambalpur, Phulbani, Titilagarh, Nabarangpur

Koraput: Koraput is located in the Southern part of KBK and Orissa but the region has been developed as an industrial zone with Damanjodi, Sunabeda and Jeypore located near to it.

Towns having population 30 000 or above in Orissa within 200 km radius of Koraput/proposed site for CU: Koraput, Jeypore, Sunabeda, Rayagada, Bhawanipatna, Nabarangpur

3. Social Point of View
Kalahandi: Kalahandi is the place which highlighted first time starvation death, backwardness and acute poverty in the region. Since then it is internationally well known and being often used as synonyms for backwardness and starvation death in media and by social workers. Though there are poverties and backwardness, there is substantial percentage of local people in Kalahandi who totally depends on education to support their life. Kalahandi has been a great contender for higher education development in Orissa despite political and social adverse conditions. Government College Bhawanipatna was chosen as Potential Center of Excellence by University Grant Commission (UGC) among the first three colleges in Orissa and it was the only college in KBK region to receive such an honor. This was one of the first districts to demand a CU in the region.

CU brings not only direct opportunities to qualified and educated mass, but also indirect employment for laborer, construction workers, tea seller, local vender, book store, restaurants, etc. State University like Sambalpur University generates contracts in ten of lakhs/crore of rupees for local people every year, a central university can every year generate contracts at least in crores rupees for local contractors and laborer. In Kalahandi and Nuapada region there is limited opportunity for construction laborer and workers. There is already a large migration of laborer and construction workers from Kalahandi, Nuapada and Balangir districts which is well known in the media. CU would bring opportunities for those people partially/fully reducing migration of laborer to other states and thus will boost the local business community in a sustainable long term.

Koraput: Koraput was the place which is dominated by tribal. Life of Bonda and Paraja tribes in this region is internationally well known. Earlier many industries (some of which were initially proposed in Kalhandi but finally denied) were established in Koraput region to uplift tribal people in Koraput but it has hardly changed the life of local tribal rather it has brought large migration from other parts of Orissa to tribal land. Though Koraput has flourished in industrial development it has hardly improved life of local tribal. Recently this region is also largely affected by Maoists activities and violence.
Koraput already has many industries providing multiple contracts of amount tens of crores on construction. Contracts of few crore rupees would not make much difference to the local laborer in Koraput compared to Kalahandi. Migration of laborer is very serious concern in Kalahandi, Nuapada and Balangir region compared to Koraput region.

4. Political Point of View
Kalahandi: Association of starvation death and backwardness with Kalahandi in the media circle has generated a bad name for Kalahandi. General impression for the people in costal Orissa and rest of India is such that people hardly believe Kalahandi is one of the large pulse generating and food secured among districts in Orissa though there are acute poverty and backwardness in many corners of the district. Due to starvation death there is a severe ignorance and negligence towards Kalahandi in general mass and political circle, particularly in Orissa administration. Kalahandi does not have any political support in Chief Minister Office, Prime Minister Office or MHRD. Local MP is from BJP and seems that some BJP MPs from Orissa are having hard time with Chief Minister of Orissa due to difference in opinions on some developmental project in Orissa since past years.

Koraput: Sunabeda region has one of the beautiful landscapes. There are many industries in Sunabeda, Damanjodi, Jeypore and Koraput region. Though population of Bhawanipatna is larger than Koraput town, Sunabeda-Koraput-Jeypore has the potential to be developed as major urban area in KBK having combined population of about 200,000 whereas similar urban area Jungarh-Bhawanipatna-Kesinga combined population would be about 100,000. Higher number of employees in industries at Damanjodi, Jeypore, Sunbeda and Koraput come from Costal part of Orissa and through them people in Costal Orissa know a bit more about this region compared to Kalahandi and Balangir region. Because of this there is sympathy for this region by state political leaders from costal part of Orissa. Mr Giridhari Gomago is a senior Congress leader representing Koraput. Being one of the senior congress leaders in the nation and former Chief Minister of Orissa he may have influence in Congress party, PMO and MHRD. There are speculations that some of the state political leaders may have personal assets in Koraput region and a close friend of Chief Minister of Orissa represents one of the constituencies in the region. Recently there was also a mass rally by BJD in Koraput district where Orissa Chief Minister repeated his announcement to establish CU in Koraput district.

Discussion and Conclusion
Koraput has the advantage of urban Koraput-Sunabeda-Jeypore industrial zone, beautiful landscape and political support/backing in the state as well as central Governments for the proposed CU in KBK, where as Kalahandi has advantage of presently available infrastructure such as rail, road, airport, airstrip and central location to all KBK district as well as KBK plus other backward districts of Kandhamal, Boud and Bargarh.

Practically a regular airport with commercial flights is more important than an airstrip or airport without commercial flight for a CU unless in case of emergency. Rourkela is second largest city in Orissa and is struggling to get commercial flights till recently. Rather Orissa Govt. and Govt. of India have proposed to upgrade airstrip at Jharsuguda to a regular airport to bring commercial flights. It might not be easy to get commercial flights to Jeypore or Utkela (Kalahandi) airstrips in near future unless a miracle happens.

On the other hand, for CU proposed in KBK railway connectivity is much more important than flight connectivity as most of the students and faculties in India internally use railway service more often then flights. Koraput seriously suffer in direct trains to major cities of India and the situation will not change soon where as Kalahandi has biggest advantage having direct trains to most of the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Raipur, Bhubaneswar etc in a regular basis.

Currently, MHRD has given preference to presently available infrastructure and central location of the institution over population of city, industries, and political lobby while establishing IGNTU, IIT/IIM, WCCU, etc in the nation. For example fast growing industrial city like Nagpur (urban and industrialized city with above 2.3 million populations) or Ootty/Manali (beautiful landscape) was not chosen over Amarkantak, MP or Mandi, HP for IGNTU/IIT. MHRD has also downplayed IIT demand in Kota, Rajasthan due to infrastructure requirement for IIT in the same manner Orissa Govt. ignored IIT demand in Sambalpur-Jharsuguda and Berhampur region. In case industries and urbanization were considered then Rourkela or Sambalpur-Jharsuguda has more advantages over many other locations including Koraput for the proposed CU in Orissa.

Sunabeda was a forest when there was no MIG factory. Today it is one of the urban areas in KBK region. Koraput, Jeypore and Sunabeda have developed today due to industries whereas without having any major industry Bhawanipatna is third largest urban area in KBK after Balangir and Jeypore showing importance of the town for whole KBK region. With Vedanta refinery (25 km from Bhawanipatna) and a CU tomorrow it may develop more than like a Sunabeda in KBK region. Therefore, industry, urbanization and landscape should not be the main concern over available infrastructure and central location. This is even clear from the recently proposed other institutions such IGNTU, IIT, IIM, WCCU etc across India by MHRD.

It is to be seen what action MHRD, Govt. of India is taking while establishing CU in KBK region though Orissa state Govt. has communicated MHRD to establish it in Koraput and people of Kalahandi have already submitted many petitions to the central Government on gross injustice towards Kalahandi while establishing CU in KBK region by letters. Final decision from MHRD and Govt. of India is awaited.

Reference:
1. For distance calculation: http://www.indianrail.gov.in/cgi_bin/inet_trnpath_cgi.cgi
2. For Population census 2001: http://www.citypopulation.de/India-Orissa.html
3. To check train service to Kesinga/Koraput: http://www.indianrail.gov.in
4. To check National Highway route in Kalahandi/Koraput: http://www.nhai.org/