MALKANGIRI: A Centre for Excellence in Agro-Ecology and Agro-Biodiversity will be set up at Rajulkonda in the tribal -dominated Malkangiri district at an estimated cost of `20 crore.Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) Subroto Bagchi on Wednesday said the national level centre is aimed at enhancing agri-entrepreneurial ecosystem by strengthening the agro-advisory services and providing skill-building development in agriculture and allied sectors.
The centre will be set up at the existing horticulture farm spread over 250 acre of land at Rajulkonda, around 12 km from Chitrakonda. It will also have an agriculture incubation centre where indigenous seeds will be analysed and resource personnel trained.
Bagchi along with Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department Sourav Garg and Director of Technical Education and Training Reghu G visited the horticulture farm and inspected the available infrastructure for setting up the centre.
The OSDA chairman participated in a meeting where he asked district officials to submit a fresh detailed project report (DPR) to the State government. The centre will be first of its kind in the State and country. It would provide a boost to agriculture activities which will become a part of skill development, he said. Bagchi also held discussions with local farmers on the occasion.
Malkangiri Collector Yedulla Vijay briefed the meeting about the proposed centre and activities to be taken up at the centre.Later, Bagchi visited the government ITI centre at Chalanguda. Expressing pleasure over setting up of three ITI colleges at Malkangiri, Mathili and Chitrakonda, he said the district is moving in the right direction when it comes to skill development. Bagchi also visited the district headquarters hospital and interacted with health workers.