Bhubaneswar/Koraput: The Central University of Odisha (CUO) and the Council of Analytical Tribal Studies (COATS), Koraput, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Sunday for next three years to collaborate on research and development concerning tribals and tribal areas of Odisha, especially the undivided district of Koraput.
CUO Registrar Asit Kumar Das and COATS Director PC Mohapatro signed and exchanged the MoU in the presence of CUO Vice-Chancellor In-Charge SK Palita, COATS Professor Jagabandhu Samal and officials and faculty members of both the institutions.
Expressing the MoU’s interest towards focused areas of social sciences, biodiversity, and journalism, Palita highlighted its role in promoting the development of the marginalised sections of the society.
He said, “In the recent NITI Ayog survey, Koraput has been placed as the number one or most improved aspirational district of the country in the field of education. The culture and traditions of the tribals need to be maintained and their economic status needs to be improved.”
“However, increasing deforestation and depletion of natural resources are cases of concern in the era of climate change. Signing the MoU was the need of the hour in which both the institutions would support each other for the benefit of Koraput region, especially for tribals’ life and livelihood,” he added.
This is the renewal of the earlier MoU signed between the two premier institutions of academic excellence for the period 2017-2020 on the basis of which they cooperated in promoting mutual academic interest, providing expert support for tribal welfare and community development by undertaking collaborative research, exchanging academic information and resources, and using academia infrastructure and organising lectures, conferences and seminars.
Mohapatro hoped that the renewal of the MoU will help promote the language, literature, art, culture and livelihood of tribals.
Registrar Asit Kumar Das was highly optimistic of the MoU and promised that CUO will do its best to redefine academic areas, make inroads into new frontiers and earn a new name for the Koraput region.
PNN