<span style="color: #222222;">Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today laid the foundation stone for the academic block, library and staff quarters at Central University of Odisha in Koraput.<br />'' <br />'' Mr Pradhan congratulated the faculty and students and expressed happiness at CUO establishing itself as a premier centre for higher learning in Odisha.<br />'' <br />'' Talking about impetus given to higher education in Odisha, Mr Pradhan said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always given a special focus on higher education in Odisha. He said, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, several premier institutes of learning like IIM, IIT, IISER, CIPET, NISER, ICT-IOCL have been established in Odisha.<br />'' <br />'' Speaking about National Education Policy, Mr Pradhan said, New Education Policy will enable regionally rooted industry-academia-government partnership for the holistic development of the region. He said, Koraput is rich in tribal diversity and NEP-2020 focusing on a broad-based and creative curricula will enable CUO to provide more opportunities for disadvantaged students and also promote research-based tribal and anthropological studies in Odisha.<br />'' <br />'' Mr Pradhan also encouraged students and faculty of CUO to undertake innovative efforts, leveraging agricultural research and entrepreneurship to find better and bigger markets for Koraput's fantastic organic farmed products, such as the world- famous Koraput ginger. He said, CUO will lead Odisha and India on to the path of knowledge and be the torchbearers of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.<br />'' <br />''<br />''Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said, he is delighted to see the progress made by the institution in tuning its objectives and processes in accordance with the National Education Policy-2020. He expressed hope that the introduction of core science and new social science courses will add further quality dimensions to the existing faculties of Central University Odisha. He expressed happiness that the University is also embarking on a massive skill development program in 12 Districts of Odisha. </span>