Governor Urges Universities to Protect Land, Promote Green Energy and Skill Development

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati on Monday urged Vice-Chancellors of universities across the state to take proactive measures to safeguard institutional land from encroachment and focus on sustainable campus development through renewable energy, skill enhancement, and environmental conservation.

Addressing the valedictory session of the two-day Conference of Vice-Chancellors of State Public and Private Universities at New Abhishek Hall in Lok Bhavan, the Governor stressed that protecting university assets is crucial for the long-term growth of higher education institutions.

Expressing concern over increasing cases of land encroachment, Kambhampati said universities must remain vigilant and establish effective systems to prevent further encroachments. While assuring government support in reclaiming encroached land, he emphasized that institutions also bear responsibility for protecting their properties.

The Governor called upon universities to build self-reliant and sustainable campuses by adopting renewable energy solutions. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of economic self-reliance, he encouraged institutions to utilise rooftop spaces for solar power generation to meet a portion of their energy requirements.

He suggested exploring Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding and adopting the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model, which allows third-party developers to finance, install, own, and maintain solar power systems, reducing the financial burden on educational institutions.

Advocating eco-friendly practices, Kambhampati highlighted Lok Bhavan’s transition to a fully electric vehicle fleet and its achievement as a net-zero energy destination. He urged universities to gradually shift towards electric mobility and strengthen environmental sustainability through regular plantation drives and expansion of green cover on unused campus land.

The Governor also encouraged institutions to explore carbon credit mechanisms as an additional revenue source while contributing to environmental conservation.

Stressing holistic campus development, he called for greater promotion of cultural activities and suggested organising collective listening sessions of the monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat in university auditoriums.

On skill development, Kambhampati advised institutions lacking infrastructure to collaborate with Skill Development Institutes (SDIs) and emphasised that the success of skilling programmes should be measured by employment generation and income-earning opportunities created for students rather than the number of trainees.

He further urged universities to create awareness among students about various welfare, entrepreneurship, and employment schemes of the Central and State Governments and encouraged Vice-Chancellors to adopt successful practices from leading institutions through collaborative visits and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

“Universities must not merely produce degree holders; they must produce capable citizens, problem-solvers, innovators, and nation-builders,” the Governor said, calling on academic leaders to foster innovation, character-building, and leadership development.

Kambhampati also emphasised that discussions held during the conference on governance reforms, research and innovation, internationalisation, employability, digital transformation, industry partnerships, and implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 should translate into tangible outcomes. As Chancellor, he assured continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening higher education in Odisha.

Speaking on the occasion, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj assured that the State Government would act on the Governor’s recommendations. He said skill development infrastructure in higher educational institutions would be expanded and praised the Governor’s efforts in promoting sustainable practices.

The concluding day of the conference featured presentations by Vice-Chancellors on topics including green energy and sustainability, quantum computing, emerging technologies, institutional governance, and academic excellence.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Higher Education Department Arvind Agrawal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Skill Development and Technical Education Department Bhupendra Singh Poonia, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Governor Dr. Roopa Roshan Sahoo also addressed the gathering.