Srungavarapukota MLA Kolla Lalitha Kumari on Monday asked the State government to establish Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh at Relli village of Kottavalasa mandal in S.Kota constituency in Vizianagaram district. The TDP government, during its earlier tenure, had acquired land and constructed the compound wall too for the construction of the educational institution.
Speaking to The Hindu, she said that she had given a representation to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati for the establishment of the university in her constituency as per the original plan. She hoped that the government would respond positively since the location of university would be closer to Visakhapatnam, which had the best air and rail connectivity which was needed for the travel of the top academicians and professors to the proposed university in a hassle-free manner.
According to Ms. Lalitha Kumari, the then TDP government had acquired around 500 acres of land at Relli village and laid foundation stone on August 18, 2017 for the construction of the university for which the Centre would provide funds as per the assurances given in the A.P. Reorganisation Act. The then Collector Vivek Yadav also took measures for the construction of a boundary wall and initiated works at the site.
Ms. Lalitakumari’s request assumed significance as the previous YSRCP government had acquired land in Mentada mandal, located between Gajapathinagaram and Saluru towns, for construction of the university. The YSRCP government had allocated 417.73 acres of land in June, 2023 to the university free of cost. The university which is currently working in AU old campus in Vizianagaram needed huge land for establishment of more courses, research and other activities. The university Vice-Chancellor T.V. Kattimani is planning to construct the institution on par with the standards of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University located in Amarkantak of Madhya Pradesh.
The then Ministers, including Botcha Satyanarayana, defended the decision on changing of the location for the university while alleging that the previous TDP government selected Kottavalasa in order to get more value for the TDP leaders’ lands located in and around the proposed university. Ms. Lalitha Kumari refuted the allegations and said that only the YSRCP government changed the location with a misconceived notion and prevented construction of the university in her constituency. She has also urged Union Minister for Civil Aviation K. Rammohan Naidu to use his good office for the release of the Central funds immediately for the construction of the university at Relli village.
