Odisha govt. plans selfie with CM initiative at higher education institutes

Odisha govt. has set up selfie points in college campuses with CM Naveen Patnaik's photo in the background. The initiative is part of the Integrated Youth Development Programme (IYDP) rebranded as Nua-O. Funds have been allocated to colleges and universities for the initiative. UGC had asked universities to set up similar selfie points with PM Modi's photo. Political observers say the initiative is needless and a way to generate buzz. Selfie points have already been set up in college and university campuses.

Taking a cue from University Grants Commission, which asked universities to set up a selfie points where students could take their own photographs against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo, Odisha government has come up with similar selfie initiative on campuses of institutes of higher education.

The photo of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would feature in the background.

The Department of Higher Education has directed all principals and nodal officers to set up a selfie point in college premises and those points should be in prominent place. These selfie points would stay at those places till February next year.

The new selfie initiative has been taken up under Integrated Youth Development Programme (IYDP), which has been rebranded as Nua-O under which the flurry of sports tournaments and cultural competitions for students through December and January have been organised on campuses. Funds have been transferred to colleges and universities keeping the students’ strength in mind.

Political observers said the new selfie initiative was absolute needless like the one being dictated by the Centre and the Naveen Patnaik Government wants to generate buzz using State-funding.

The Sports and Youth Affairs department had come up with IYDP (Nua-O) seeking to create awareness towards sports and provide exposure to colleges students to extracurricular activities. Selfie points have already come up in college and university campuses in the State. Colleges and universities have also been asked to involve community and people’s representatives.