Bhubaneswar: The previous BJD government spent around Rs 95 crore from the state exchequer on Nutana Unnata Abhilasha Odisha (Nua-O) events, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the Assembly on Friday.
The amount was spent through eight departments for organising cultural programmes and feasts under the programme in colleges across Odisha. School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Skill Development, Sports, Odia Language, Literature, & Culture, Health, Agriculture, and ST & SC Development departments contributed grants for it, the Minister said in his written reply.
The NUA-O programme was launched by the Naveen Patnaik-led government in 2023 for all-round development of students and to provide them a platform to develop their hidden talents in sports and cultural activities. It also aimed at empowering youth with continuous skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling opportunities.
In December last year, the BJP had criticised the then state government for interfering in campuses and organising festivals in institutions to woo first-time voters ahead of the general elections instead of improving the quality of higher education
