Chandrababu Naidu hope for 2 varsities to become a reality

Anantapur: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's fresh assurance that the Central University and Energy University will soon become a reality in the district, has brightened the hopes of establishment of twin universities. Naidu in a press conference here on Thursday reiterated the two universities would be established soon and revealed the Centre will soon introduce a bill in Parliament creating the Central University.

Once the Parliament passes the bill, decks will be cleared for establishment of university by the government, Naidu clarified. The two universities had been promised to district under the AP Reorganisation Act.

Though some progress reported on Energy University, there is no clarity on Central University.  District administration says unless Parliament passes a bill for the establishment of Central University, it would remain only on paper. Unless a determined effort is made in this direction, there are no chances for university to become a reality before 2019, the sources said.

The Energy University promised to district is expected to give a further fillip to government's strategy to create a non-conventional energy circuit with Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts. About 150 acres of land in Penukonda had been handed over to consortium of public and private sector companies to execute the project under PPP mode. 

However, according to sources in Energy department, the consortium of stakeholders had asked the government to show an alternate site near to district headquarters. Accordingly, about 500 acres of land has been identified in Kuderu mandal which is 15 km away from district headquarters.

Provision was given to immediately start the varsity in temporary buildings in 2017-18 academic year itself. However, varsity did not make any progress with the transfer of District Collector Sasidhar. New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) district manager Kodanadarama Murthy told The Hans India that AP Transco, Suzlon Energy Private Limited and another party will be roped in for the establishment of university.

Parties having stakes in the university establishment are expected to share Rs 30-35 crore each. About Rs 100 crore will be pumped in under PPP mode for the varsity establishment. In first phase, undergraduate courses will be introduced on tapping of non-conventional energy and future development which includes research work on updating technology and cost-effective solar panels manufacturing technology to bring down the cost of solar power projects. Although some follow-up is being done by officials, things are moving in slow pace.  

The government has gone into election mood and there are apprehensions about establishing the university before 2019. But the latest assurance of Naidu in this regard brightened the hopes as the district has more than 50 wind mills and 10 solar power projects, the largest ever in the state.

Promoters of solar and wind power projects have expressed hope that the Energy University will be a boon to Rayalaseema districts where several non-conventional energy projects are functioning and described it as a 'Green Corridor.'

By Ravi P Benjamin