Bhubaneswar, Aug. 8: The state government has decided to increase the number of National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers in universities and colleges by one lakh.

At present, the state has about 90,000 volunteers, whom the educational institutions are to engage in activities such as campus beautification, blood donation, plantation, health and cattle camps, awareness programmes, social audit, rescue and rehabilitation operation at the time of emergency, fire-fighting, kitchen gardening, waste material management, community mobilisation, event management, computer literacy, youth leadership, disaster management, first-aid training, women empowerment and many more. This apart, they are supposed to undertake special camping programme at regular interval.

However, the higher education department has found that many institutions are not taking interest in the NSS activities. "The state cell, regional directorate and all the bureaus are not conducting the activities properly," said a department official.

Higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi, in a recent meeting, expressed his concern over the fact that huge funds had been lying unused at the NSS bureau level.

"The vice-chancellors of all varsities have been asked to hold monthly review meeting to utilise the unspent balance and NSS activities. An expert committee would prepare a revised guideline to introduce new activities with government approval," said the minister.

A special team under the leadership of Utkal University vice-chancellor Ashok Das has been formed to design the NSS activities to be undertaken by all the bureaus and measured for 100 per cent activation of the NSS units.

To make all the units active during this academic session, the department has asked the NSS bureaus to adopt seven to 10 villages as the model ones.

For the proper functioning of the activities, the department has also approved the proposal for an NSS unit in Bhubaneswar.

The department would also organise state-level conventions to motivate the NSS volunteers and create awareness among them. The first meet will be held at the Berhampur University.