Deputy CM Reviews OUAT Expansion in Western Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo chaired a high‑level review meeting to assess the progress of four new colleges under the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

The state government has sanctioned ₹50 crore to fast‑track infrastructure, staffing, and admissions.

Detailed project reports have been completed, and sites for both temporary and permanent campuses have been identified.

The new institutions include the College of Agriculture in Mayurbhanj and Balangir, the College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry in Sambalpur, and the College of Fisheries in Sonepur.

Among them, the Mayurbhanj campus is leading the rollout with 60 students admitted this academic session. Seventy‑seven posts have been sanctioned, including 24 faculty and 53 staff positions.

Admissions for the other three colleges are expected to begin from the next academic year.

Senior officials from the Agriculture and Fisheries departments, OUAT, and district collectors participated in the meeting to ensure smooth coordination.

The expansion is expected to decentralise agricultural education and provide greater access to professional degrees in farming, animal husbandry, and aquaculture for students in western and northern Odisha.