Kalinga Times: Agami Odisha members demand IIT for Orissa

KalingaTimes Correspondent Bhubaneswar: A large number of people from various walks of life came under the banner of social organisation Agami Odisha and held a rally outside Raj Bhavan here on Sunday demanding establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology in Orissa. Criticising the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre

for neglecting the cause of the State, they also demanded upgradation of the University College of Engineering (UCE) at Burla as an Indian Institute of Engineering, Science & Technology (IIEST). Orissa, being one of the poorest states in terms of infrastructure in education and technology, needs establishment of an IIT more than any other state, the activists said. In a memorandum, the members of Agami Odisha urged President APJ Abdul Kalam to intervene in the matter to ensure development of educational and scientific infrastructure in the State. Mentioning that the demands for an ITT and declaration of the UCE at Burla as an IIEST were `extremely reasonable', the activists appealed to the President to lend support to the cause. Participating in the rally, Biju Janata Dal leader and Rajya Sabha MP Baijayanta Panda announced that Agami Odisha will organise similar rallies in different corners of the State to highlight the two demands. Among others who took part in the rally, include Lok Sabha MP from Kendrapara Archana Nayak, well-known singer Prafulla Kar and several eminent educationists and social activists. The office-bearers of Agami Odisha - D K Ray (president), Lalit Pattnaik (working president), Sudarshan Das (vice-president), Santosh Tripathy (secretary) and Supriti Mishra (treasurer) - were present. Agami Odisha, which has started forming a Social Force comprising those concerned for the State's development, has decided to organise a similar rally in New Delhi later this month to highlight the demands.