Land Grab: Engineering colleges under scanner

BHUBANESWAR: Industries Minister Raghunath Mohanty on Wednesday said in the Assembly that the Government had started investigation to find out land encroached by engineering colleges and deemed universities. To a question from Pramod Kumar Mallick (BJD), the Minister said that though there were specific complaints of land grabbing against two or three engineering colleges, the State Government has decided to investigate land under occupation of all 92 engineering colleges and deemed universities.  Mohanty said that a committee had been constituted by the Government in this regard. It is expected to submit its report soon. Action will be taken based on the report, he said. The Minister said sufficient number of poor and meritorious students are taking admission in the available seats of the government colleges of the state. Besides, for the poor and meritorious students, 5 per cent supernumerary seats are available in both government and private engineering colleges under the tuition fee waiver scheme. He said that during the current year 51 students have taken admission even though 110 seats are available in government colleges under the scheme. Similarly, in private colleges, 546 students have taken admission under the scheme though 2,020 seats were available.  The Minister, however, said the State Government has no proposal at present for setting up new government engineering colleges in the State.