The Non-Resident Indians (NRI) community in North America has urged Chief Minister Naveeen Patnaik to make southern Odisha a higher education and technology hub by establishing a Science and Technology Corridor at Brahmapur.

Hailing the Government’s efforts for development of the State in various areas, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)’s Prof Durgamadhab Misra informed in a letter that the Odisha Society of Americas' (OSA) organised a Odisha Development Day (ODD) Summit at Atlantic City in July first week, focusing on potential development and strategy in different areas for Odisha. One of the key areas was Higher Education and Technology and Entrepreneurship Development, he informed

He requested the Government to take to establish a Science and Technology Corridor connecting NIST-IISER-Brahampur University (about 8-10 km) to provide strong collaboration among research institutes and to help growth of start-up, technology and service industry in southern Odisha. This corridor can also leverage Gopalpur Tata SEZ in much effective and collaborative manner, argued Mishra.

He requested the Chief Minister to upgrade the NRI-run National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) to a university. Established in 1996, the NIST is the first NRI educational venture in the State and 1st degree granting engineering institute in southern Odisha under Brahampur University. About 4,000 students are now studying in the institute and it has produced high percentage of quality engineers, informed Misra.