Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) - IIT Bhubneswar
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The Institute is actively involved in implementation of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), a flagship programme of the MHRD on rural development through use of affordable technologies. This programme intends to implement the technological solutions to the rural problems. The programme also envisages to link some of the students’ research projects to issues related to rural community.
Two villages have been adopted by the Institute under the UBA programme. One of the villages is ‘Jorkul’ in the Banki block, where activities related to rural development is going on through a multi-institutional project. The other village is ‘Argul’, adjacent to the permanent campus of the Institute where the faculty and students actively participate in using the affordable technologies for improving the quality of life of the village community. The issues addressed in the first phase are: education, health, sanitation, drinking water, solid waste management, affordable housing technology, use of renewable energy etc. Participation of the villagers are encouraged in the UBA programme. A good number of faculty members across the disciplines are members of the UBA Cell and are involved in this venture. With the above activities in place, village community would rest assured that there is a group of faculty members and students whom they can approach for any problem.
On the last Independence Day, the faculty members of the UBA cell, along with the students, visited the Argul village, to discuss with the villagers and school teachers to understand their requirement and appraise them about the technological interventions which can be adopted by the Institute. Already some technological interventions like installation of solar street lighting systems have been done in the village.