Bhubaneswar, Dec 31: The Union government has sanctioned Rs 676.70 crore for the infrastructural development of various universities and colleges in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), informed Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Tuesday.
Of the total amount, the state government will contribute Rs 268 crore (40%), while the Centre will provide the remaining Rs 408.70 crore (60%). The funds will be allocated across several key components, including Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERU), Grants to Strengthen Universities (GSU), Grants to Strengthen Colleges (GSC), Gender Inclusion and Equity Initiatives (GIEI), and Management Monitoring Evaluation and Research (MMER), Suraj explained.
Under the MERU component, Rs 100 crore each has been approved for the development of Berhampur University, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Baripada, Ravenshaw University in Cuttack, and Sambalpur University.
For the GSU component, five universities will receive Rs 20 crore each for infrastructure improvements. These are Vikram Dev University in Jeypore, Odisha State Open University in Sambalpur, Kalahandi University in Bhawanipatna, Rajendra University in Bolangir, and Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur.
In addition, Rs 5 crore each has been approved for 24 colleges under the GSC component. Further, five districts—Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Nabarangpur, and Sambalpur—will receive Rs 10 crore each to support gender inclusion and equity initiatives.
The PM-USHA scheme also includes provisions for the development of classrooms, laboratories, libraries, hostels, and making infrastructure accessible to persons with disabilities. Additionally, higher educational institutions will be able to procure software and hardware to enhance digital education.
Minister Suraj expressed confidence that the implementation of the scheme would help improve the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rankings of these institutions in the coming years.
