Lok Sabha Question No. 5016 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-23
Subject: HEIs Approved under PM-USHA in Odisha
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5016 ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026

## HEIs Approved under PM-USHA in Odisha

5016. Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in the State of Odisha approved under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) along with district-wise details of approvals, budget sanctioned and actual expenditure incurred during the last five years;

(b) whether the focus districts, including tribal districts such as Kandhamal have received special  grants  for  infrastructure  development,  digital  libraries  and  faculty  strengthening and if so, the details of funds allocated and utilised, district-wise;

(c) the measurable  improvement  recorded  in the Gross  Enrolment Ratio (GER), accreditation scores and research output in the said State during the last five years;

(d) the monitoring framework adopted by the Union Government to ensure outcome-based utilisation of funds by State universities, including the mechanisms for district-level audit and reporting; and

- (e) the present status of implementation of the Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India's Developing Economy (STRIDE), with details of projects sanctioned, funds released and expenditure incurred in the said State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) & (b): Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility  of  both  the  Central  and  State  Governments.  Recognizing  the  need  for central assistance, the Department  of Higher Education, Government  of  India, is implementing  Rashtriya  Uchchatar  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RUSA),  a  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges, so as to improve their quality by ensuring their conformity to prescribed norms and standards.

The  government  launched  the  third  phase  of  Rashtriya  Uchchatar  Shiksha  Abhiyan (RUSA)  in  June  2023  in  the  form  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Uchchatar  Shiksha Abhiyan  (PMUSHA), with an outlay of Rs. 12,926.10 crore, which includes the committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas.

Under  PM-USHA,  a  total  of  38  units  have  been  approved  for  support  under  various components in the State of Odisha for a total amount of Rs. 676.70 crore. The district-wise details of number of units and amount approved are at Annexure. Furthermore, under the scheme, total amount of Rs. 68.75 crore has been released to the State as central share during the last five years i.e., from 2019-20 till 2024-25. In the current financial year i.e., 2025-26, a central share of Rs. 11.69 crore has been released to the State of Odisha.

Under PM-USHA, priority is given to focus districts which are identified by the concerned States/ UTs based on various criteria, including low Gross Enrolment Ratio, Gender Parity, population  proportion  and  enrolment  proportion  for  females,  transgenders,  Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, Aspirational/ Border Area/ Left Wing Extremism district etc. The State of Odisha has identified 15 focus districts, including the  tribal  district  of  Kandhamal.  In  the  focus  districts  of  Odisha,  20  units  have  been approved support for a total amount of Rs. 390 crore under PM-USHA including 01 unit approved  in  Kandhamal  district  for  Rs.  10  crore  under  'Gender  Inclusion  and  Equity Initiatives' component.

Under PM-USHA, States/ UTs and Universities/ Colleges can undertake various activities aimed at enhancing access, equity and excellence in education, including construction/renovation  of  infrastructure  such  as  smart  classrooms/  computer  labs/ research  laboratories/  digital  libraries  with  subscriptions  to  reputed  journals;  promoting Online  Distance  Learning  (ODL)  and  online  programs  such  as  SWAYAM/  MOOCs;  and training to develop 21st-century skills, etc.

(c):  According  to  the  All-India  Survey  on  Higher  Education (AISHE),  the  Overall  Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education in the State of Odisha has improved to 22.9 in 2022-23 (provisional) compared to 21.1 in 2018-19. The GER for Scheduled Castes has improved  to  23.6  in  2022-23  (provisional)  compared  to  19.1  in  2018-19.  The  GER  for Scheduled  Tribes  has  improved  to  16.2  in  2022-23  (provisional)  compared  to  12.2  in 2018-19.

(d): Under the scheme, as per the government rules and procedures, regular audits of the scheme are conducted at Central and State/UTs level. Based on the audited statements of expenditure of  the  various  supported  HEIs,  a  consolidated  Utilisation  Certificate  (UC)  is sought from  State/UTs  for  release  of  further  grants  to  the  State/UTs.  The  Ministry  also reviews progress of works through various review meetings, physical visits etc. under the scheme.  Furthermore,  under  PM-USHA,  funds  are  released  through  the  SNA-SPARSH model  for  all  States  /UTs  except  UTs  without  legislature.  Funds  are  released  to  the States/UTs  subject  to  the  fulfilment  of  certain  conditions  by  the  States/UTs,  such  as transfer  of  the  corresponding  state  share,  utilization  of  at  least  75%  of  the  previously released  funds,  compliance  with  conditions  laid  down  by  the  Project  Approval  Board (PAB),  submission  of  consolidated  Utilization  Certificates  (UCs),  compliance  with  the instructions of the Ministry of Finance.

(e): The University Grants Commission (UGC) launched the Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India's Developing Economy (STRIDE) in 2019 for strengthening research culture, innovation and supporting trans-disciplinary research. The UGC has informed that the proposals under the scheme were invited during 2019 and after a thorough review of the proposals, 35 institutions were finally selected for Component-1 under STRIDE. Total funds amounting to Rs. 16.28 cr. have been released by UGC under Component I of this scheme. The 3-year cycle for all the institutions  selected  under  Component  I  has  been completed. The scheme is presently not in operation.

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ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5016 DATED 23.03.2026 ASKED BY SHRI SUKANTA  KUMAR PANIGRAHI,  HON'BLE  MEMBER  OF  PARLIAMENT,  REGARDING  HEIs  APPROVED UNDER PM-USHA IN ODISHA District-wise details of number of units and amount approved under PM-USHA in the State of Odisha:

| S. No.   | District                           | Focus District (Yes/No)            | Number of Units Approved           |   Total Amount Approved (Rs. in cr.) |
|----------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1        | Anugul                             | No                                 | 3                                  |                                 15   |
| 2        | Balangir                           | Yes                                | 2                                  |                                 25   |
| 3        | Baleshwar                          | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 4        | Bargarh                            | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 5        | Bhadrak                            | Yes                                | 2                                  |                                 15   |
| 6        | Boudh                              | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 7        | Cuttack                            | No                                 | 2                                  |                                105   |
| 8        | Deogarh                            | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 9        | Dhenkanal                          | No                                 | 2                                  |                                 10   |
| 10       | Ganjam                             | No                                 | 1                                  |                                100   |
| 11       | Jagatsinghapur                     | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 12       | Jajapur                            | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 13       | Jharsuguda                         | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 14       | Kalahandi                          | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                 20   |
| 15       | Kandhamal                          | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                 10   |
| 16       | Kendrapara                         | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 17       | Kendujhar                          | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 18       | Khordha                            | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 19       | Koraput                            | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                 20   |
| 20       | Mayurbhanj                         | Yes                                | 2                                  |                                110   |
| 21       | Nabarangpur                        | Yes                                | 2                                  |                                 15   |
| 22       | Nayagarh                           | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 23       | Nuapada                            | Yes                                | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 24       | Puri                               | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
| 25       | Sambalpur                          | Yes                                | 5                                  |                                155   |
| 26       | Sundargarh                         | No                                 | 1                                  |                                  5   |
|          | MMER (1% of total amount approved) | MMER (1% of total amount approved) | MMER (1% of total amount approved) |                                  6.7 |
|          | Total                              | Total                              | 38                                 |                                676.7 |

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