A view of the site identified for the construction of Girls' hostel at the proposed Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh near Mentada mandal of Vizianagaram district. , Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
VIZINAAGARAM
The future of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP) is still hanging in the balance as the State government has not yet announced its plan of action for its construction and selection of the site. The delay in the construction of permanent buildings for the university is leading to the denial of full-fledged laboratories, hostels, classrooms and libraries.
According to sources in the university, many students from other States who got seats in various courses canceled their admissions due to the absence of a hostel facility in the university which is currently being operated from the old Andhra University campus buildings.
Although it is a central university, the total strength of students of the Central Tribal University is only around 620, thanks to the lack of infrastructure which is required for more admissions.
The TDP government of 2014-19 selected Relli village of Kothavalasa mandal to establish the university and also allocated 526.24 acres of land for the construction as per the assurance given in the AP Reorganization Act. However, the YSRCP government which came into power in 2019 changed the location and acquired 561.91 acres of land in Mentada and Dattirajeru mandals saying that the site is located in the tribal area.
It also said that the University site is accessible to students from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other States too. The Union government which also approved the new site released around ₹15 crore funds for the construction of the University. The Union government is expected to release around ₹300 crore for the construction of the prestigious project.
“The State government should allow construction of the university in Mentada and Dattirajeru mandals since getting Central approvals and financial sanction will be a herculean task. It leads to further delay. Moreover, the site at Relli village is not perfectly suitable for the University as only 20 per cent land is suitable for the construction activity,” said a source at the University.
S. Kota MLA Kolla Lalitakumari has reportedly requested Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to construct the University at Relli village since it was originally planned there. However, the government has not officially responded to her request.
“Political requests and decisions should not hamper the construction of the University which was sanctioned 10 years ago. Many top educational institutions have come up in several States as there is unity among the public representatives concerned development. We needed to have such cooperation here,” the source added.