Bhubaneswar: Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurated 14 new Government Degree colleges in eight districts of the State through video conferencing on Friday.
Minister Suraj inaugurated the new Government Degree colleges at Tiring in Mayurbhanj district; Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi district; Gurundia and Nuagaon in Sundargarh district; Bandhugaon and Narayanpatna in Koraput district; Jharigaon, Kosagumuda, Raighar and Tentulikhunti in Nabarangpur district; Kashipur and Ramanaguda in Rayagada district; Dharakote in Ganjam district; and Khajuripada of Kandhamal district.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that education is the only medium through which the youth can empower themselves and usher in societal change. These new 14 Government Degree colleges in the remote areas will revolutionise education, Suraj added.
Suraj said that the dropout percentage will decrease in addition to creating interest in higher education among the students.
Minister conveyed his best wishes to the principals and students of the new Degree Colleges, government officers and people’s representatives through video conferencing.
Commissioner cum Secretary of the Higher Education Department Arvind Agarwal said that with the establishment of Degree colleges in 14 blocks of 8 districts, education has reached the students living in the remote regions of Odisha. Along with this, he congratulated the students and advised them to work hard to build a bright future.
Bonai MLA Laxman Munda and Lakhmipur MLA Pabitra Saunta participated in the program through virtual mode and thanked the Minister of Higher Education Department on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the colleges and also expressed the opinion that this initiative of the government is a revolutionary step in the field of education. At the same time, the newly appointed principals of the colleges and the newly joined students shared their experiences and thanked the authorities of the Higher Education Department.
All the officers and employees of the Higher Education Department, Collectors of the respective districts, and Block Development Officers were present in the program. Snigdha Champatarai, Joint Secretary of Higher Education, delivered the vote of thanks at the end of the program.
