Dhanbad: Newly appointed vice chancellor of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University, Anjani Kumar Srivastava, on Monday said developing the new campus of the institution at Bhelatand Mouza, here, will be his top priority.

Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph over phone from Ranchi, Srivastava, 64, said, "My effort will be to develop a large green campus of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University over the 25 acres at Bhelatand Mouza in Dhanbad at par with the serene campus of its parent university, Vionba Bhave University (VBU)," said Srivastava.

He however added, "As the Bhelatand campus will be ready by 2020 so we will first develop the vacant building of Mining Institute Nirsa at Baramuri which has been handed over to us by state higher technical education and skill development department."

He said his first job after formally taking charge will be to formalise the distribution of assets between the infant university and VBU, its parent institution.

The new vice chancellor, who in the past held several key posts as an academic administrator, said, building ties with industries and other institutions is another priority for him and pointed out that VBU had joined the Erasmus Mundus programme, an academic collaboration scheme with European universities, during his tenure as the pro vice chancellor of the varsity.

Srivastava, who called on governor and state universities chancellor Droupadi Murmu at Raj Bhavan on Monday, also revealed plans to mentor its two constituent colleges.

"We will also develop P.K. Roy Memorial College and SSNLT Women's College (both in Dhanbad) which have been chosen as premier colleges. We will help them achieve autonomy," he said.

Prior to his present appointment, Srivastava served as the youngest registrar of Magadh University in 1990, registrar of Ranchi University from 1994 to 1997, and that of Siddhu Kanhu Murmu University between 2002 and 2005, higher education director between 2007 and 2010 and VBU pro vice chancellor from 2010 to 2015.