Centre ignoring tribal university, says Forum
In 2019, the Relli site was cancelled and another place offered by the state government in Pachipenta mandal of Salur agency
VISAKHAPATNAM: Forum for Development of North Andhra has accused central government of ignoring establishment of a permanent campus for Andhra Pradesh Central Tribal University (APCTU) sanctioned under the AP Reorganisation Act.
Forum general secretary A. Aja Sarma, in a letter to union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, said after a lapse of more than six years, a permanent vice-chancellor had been appointed to APCTU in 2020. Classes commenced from a temporary campus with temporary staff. But everything came to a halt due to COVID-19.
Sarma pointed out that a site to an extent of 526.66 acres in Relli village of Kothavalasa mandal had been allotted by the then state government in 2015.
After approval by central teams, a compound wall had also been constructed. But, no other construction had been taken up by the central government for four long years.
In 2019, the Relli site was cancelled and another place offered by the state government in Pachipenta mandal of Salur agency. Now, yet another land parcel of around 552 acres has been identified by the state government in Kuntinivalasa village of Mentada mandal. This land has also been inspected by AP special chief secretary in the first week of January 2021 and proposals sent to centre government for final approval.
The forum general secretary said but even after six months, there has been no response from the union government. This indicated the callous attitude of the centre, with utter disregard to development of the backward region in general and tribal community in particular.
Because of this inordinate delay on the part of central government, aspiring tribal students are losing opportunities of higher education in this backward area, Sarma added.