Absence of any city from Western and Southern Odisha in the proposal indicates the Government’s discriminatory attitude: Er. Rohit Pujari
University Township Project
Sambalpur, 31/08/2026: Former Minister and Sambalpur District Biju Janata Dal President Er. Rohit Pujari has expressed concern over the absence of cities from Western Odisha and Southern Odisha among the locations that were initially discussed for the proposed University Township Project.
“Why did the name of any city or district from Western Odisha not figure in the initial proposal for such an important project for Odisha? Similarly, it is unfortunate that no district or city from Southern Odisha has also found a place in it,” said Shri Pujari.
“There is a feeling that the State Government has always been maintaining a position of neglect and a discriminatory attitude towards Western Odisha. Although the people of this region have been raising their legitimate demands for a long time, many promises have still not been fulfilled. Important demands such as a High Court Bench, AIIMS, official recognition for the Sambalpuri language, shifting of the WODC office to Western Odisha, along with various other developmental issues, have repeatedly seen Western Odisha being ignored. Now, it is unfortunate that even in the initial proposal for an ambitious project like the University Township Project, the name of no city from Western Odisha has figured.
Shri Pujari further said that many cities in Western Odisha have sufficient potential for establishing such a major educational project. The project can be established in cities such as Sambalpur, Balangir, Rourkela and Bhawanipatna. Each city has its own strengths. Before taking a final decision, the Government should undertake an impartial assessment of all possible locations.
Speaking about Sambalpur, he said that the Burla-Dhankouda area has already created a strong educational ecosystem. “Burla has earned a reputation as an education hub for a long time. If the University Township is established in the Sambalpur region, the youth of Western Odisha will get new opportunities in higher education, research, skill development and employment. All regions should be given equal opportunity in the selection of the location for the project. Therefore, before taking a final decision, the Government should seriously consider the potential of Western and Southern Odisha,” said Er. Pujari.
