BHUBANESWAR: The Higher Education department on Wednesday asked the degree colleges and teacher education institutions to expedite the process for settlement of their campus land with the State government to receive Central grants under RUSA and other schemes.
As per records, as many as 51 government colleges and 644 aided colleges have land measuring 180 acres and 1,713 acres respectively under their occupation. Similarly, 1,274 high schools are located on government land.
Although the total value of the land in the occupation of educational institutions will be worth more than Rs 4,000 crore, the land is not recorded in their favour due to the inability of such institutions to pay the dues like premium, incidental charges, annual ground rent, cess and encroachment fees with a penalty.
The absence of land records has been depriving many higher educational institutions of government grants besides, NAAC accreditation and grades. The institutions have been directed to file applications before tehsildars immediately for regularisation of the land under their possession.
Secretary of the department Saswat Mishra asked the principals of the government and aided non-government degree colleges and teacher education institutions to pursue the matter with the local tehsildars till completion of the process for allotment of the government land in their favour.
The Revenue department had brought out a policy and notified a resolution in November last year for regularisation of the government land under possession of the public and aided degree colleges and higher secondary schools.