Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday formally decided to set up the Odia University at Bakula Bana (Bakula Forest) near Sakhigopal in Puri, about 45km from here.

A decision on this was taken during a meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat.

The government decided to set up the university at Bakula Bana as it was once a "symbol of Odia pride". Five friends (known as panchasakha) - Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Pandit Krupasindhu Mishra, Acharya Harihar Das, Pandit Godavarish Mishra and Pandit Nilakantha Das - had set up the first model open school called Bakula Bana at Sakhigopal. It later earned the nickname "human factory". They had made a significant contribution to Odia literature and the freedom struggle in the 19th century. The university will promote this panchasakha ideology, sources said.

"What is more important in today's decision that not a single tree will be chopped off on the premises for setting up the Odia University. Officials said taking the heritage and environment values into consideration, the work would be done according to green technology. The regional language varsity will run higher education courses, including MPhil and PhD, in Odia language. It will also work towards the development and enrichment of the language. An officer on special duty will be appointed for the university. The temporary office will start functioning at Satyabadi Pantha Niwas, a press released from the Chief Minister's Office said.

The Puri Collector has already been directed to expedite the work on setting up the university. The government, in its current budget, has earmarked Rs 10 crore for the establishment of the varsity.