Bhubaneswar, Dec. 28: The Orissa government has decided to set up engineering and agriculture colleges in Kalahandi — once known as a part of the poverty belt.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat.

The construction for both the proposed colleges would start from this fiscal and Rs 5 crore each would be released for preliminary work.

Naveen directed the officials to start the construction of the two schools expeditiously, apparently keeping in mind the coming general elections.

There are no government-run engineering and agriculture colleges in the economically backward region — giving the government a perfect opportunity to make its pre-poll move.

Both colleges are expected to be located at Bhawanipatna, the Kalahandi headquarters.

Approval of the All India Council for Technical Education has been accorded to the proposed engineering college that is to have 240 seats. Admission for the college will start from the coming academic session through the Joint Entrance Examination.

Similarly, the agriculture college would be the third one in the state after those in Bhubaneswar and Chiplima near Sambalpur.

The admission for the proposed 48-seat technical school is set to begin from the coming session, sources said.