TV
In a move aimed at advancing gender equity in technical education, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, to construct a dedicated girls’ hostel worth Rs 43 crore.
The MoU was signed on Friday and was shared by MCL in a post on X. It stated that the new facility will be named ‘MCL Hall of Residence', and is expected to significantly expand accommodation capacity for women pursuing studies in the STEM disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Notably, the MoU was formalised in the presence of MCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Uday Anant Kaole, Director (HR) Keshav Rao, and NIT Rourkela Director Prof. K Umamaheshwar Rao, along with other senior officials.
The initiative is positioned as part of MCL’s wider Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme aimed at bridging infrastructural gaps in education.
This project marks the latest milestone in a growing institutional partnership. With this addition, MCL’s total CSR contribution to NIT Rourkela stands at Rs 93.77 crore. Past initiatives have included the funding of a 500-seater girls’ hostel and support for the Technology Business Incubator (TBI), aimed at fostering campus innovation and entrepreneurship.
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Part of a Larger Wave of Educational Expansion in Odisha
The development aligns with a broader educational push in Odisha. Earlier this month, the state government announced the establishment of a government medical college and a public university in Bhadrak, as part of a Rs 6,500 crore development package.
It is worth noting that the infrastructure push to NIT-R comes amid a slew of ground-breaking research and innovations that have made it into national headlines in the first six months of this year alone.
With PTI inputs
