Government indifferent to land misuse by SOA, says CAG

BHUBANESWAR: The government has remained indifferent to misuse of government land allotted to the Manoj Nayak-owned Siksha O Anusandhan (SOA) University, the CAG had pointed out in a report tabled in the state assembly in 2013.
The report on general and social sector for the year ended in March 2012, pointed out that SOA (deemed) university had applied for allotment of 15 acre land in November 2004 for establishment of medical, dental and nursing colleges, all healthcare institutions.The government allotted the land in Ghatikia village in 2006.
It was noticed that apart from activities relating to the permissible purpose, a law institute and a Plus II science college were also functioning in the area. The general administration department, thus did not ensure utilization of land for the purpose for which the land was allotted, the CAG observed.
The land which had been allotted for a specific purpose was being misutilised by the lessees by diverting it for other purposes, the CAG had pointed out. The CAG had noted that as per condition of the lease deed, the lessee should use the land exclusively for the purpose for which the land was allotted.
The Plus II college, a self-financed institution named Institute of Higher Secondary Education, and the law institute of SOA continue to function from the same premises.
The CAG also pointed out that the state government allotted additional land to SOA university, along with six others in phases without following any procedure and without any basis. The Naveen government had allotted six acre to SOA in July 2008 and 4.6 acre in May 2009. The government also regularised encroachment of 0.98 acre land by Institute of Technical Education and Research, an SOA group institution, at Jagamara, along with encroachment by 10 other institutions/individuals instead of evicting them, the CAG pointed out.