Central, energy varsities still on paper

Anantapur: Two universities had been promised to the district as part of the bifurcation package under the 2014 AP Reorganisation Act. One is the central university and the other energy university. While there is some progress for the energy university, there is no headway for grounding the central university. District administration sources say that unless the Parliament passes a bill for the establishment of a central university, the university would remain only on paper.

It takes political leaders and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to get the bill introduced in the parliament by the NDA government.

Already three years has lapsed and unless a determined effort is made in the direction, there are no chances for the university to become a reality before 2019. The second university that is promised to the district is the energy university which 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 was originally allotted for it in Penukonda, the historical fort town of the ancient Krishnadevaraya kingdom. Land had been handed over to the consortium of public and private sector companies which will be executing the project under PPP mode. However, according to sources in the Energy department, the consortium of stake holders in the project had asked the government to show an alternate site which has close proximity with the district headquarters.

Irrespective of where the university would come up, the university would be established in temporary accommodation in later part of 2017. The university might start functioning from 2017-18 academic year, according to New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) district manager Kodanadarama Murthy who spoke to The Hans India. AP Transco, Suzlon Energy Private Limited and another party will be roped in for the establishment of the varsity.

Parties having stakes in the university establishment are expected to share Rs 30 to 35 crore each. About 100 crores would be pumped in under PPP mode for the establishment of the university. In the first phase, under graduate courses would be introduced mostly on tapping of non-conventional energy and future development includes through research work on updating of technology and cost-effective solar panels manufacturing technology so as to bring down the establishment cost of solar power projects.

Although some follow-up is being done by officials, there seems to be no political will in this regard. When Kona Sasidhar was the District Collector there was some talk of launching the university in temporary buildings, but now it is a forgotten subject.

As things stand there is no scope for the university to become a reality before 2019. About 150 acres of land is identified in Kuderu mandal. The government has gone into election mood and there are apprehensions about establishing the university in temporary buildings. As per their road map, the university should become fully operational by 2019.

New Delhi-based TERI, which does research work in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development, has agreed to extend Research & Development (R&D) support for establishment of Energy University at Anantapur. The university will pave the way for conducting latest studies on technological advancements in the energy sector.

By Ravi P Benjamin