Centre to announce Tribal University for Telangana soon

Hyderabad: Senior officials from the state government and the Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE), camping at Delhi, feel that the Centre will soon make an announcement on setting up of the Tribal University in the state.

All necessary data sought by the Union HRD Ministry has been provided. The officials are getting ready to brief the Centre on the steps taken so far to facilitate for the setting up of the university.

The Centre had made a promise to establish a Tribal University in Telangana as per the AP State Reorganisation Act 2014. However, the issue has been put on backburner due to delay in acquisition of land.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official from the State Higher Education Department (SHED) said: “Nearly 165 acres of land located in a single survey number in Mulugu of Jaya- shankar-Bhupalapalli district had been identified for the purpose. It has now been acquired by the government, paving the way for the Centre for starting the university."

However, the state government wants to acquire another 200 acres land located adjacent to the land already acquired. The state government has asked the forest department to do a survey on the second land parcel so that it could be acquired under compensatory afforestation scheme (CAS) of Forest Conservation Act. Following the directions from the state government, the forest department is expected to complete the survey by the end of February, this year.

Meanwhile, the officials camping in Delhi are preparing to impress upon the senior officials of the HRD ministry that since the 165-acre land parcel has a clear title with no disputes and therefore, the Centre could go ahead with construction of buildings and other infrastructure necessary for the university.

“We want the HRD ministry to give immediate sanction so that works could begin immediately. We want the university to commence operations from the next academic year,” the official said.