Bhubaneswar, Sept. 18: Utkal University is set for a Rs 50-crore makeover with two new academic blocks, digitisation of the library, three new hostels and setting up of chairs in various departments.

The construction would start shortly after a formal foundation laying ceremony by the state government this month.

The two academic blocks - one linguistic block and another social science block - would house the respective departments. While the linguistic block will have the departments of English, Urdu, Odia and Sanskrit, the social science block will house the sociology, anthropology and the political science departments. These blocks will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore each.

The project also includes digitisation of the 40-year-old Pranakrushna Parija library to meet global standards and the tech-savvy students.

A new two-storey, around 15,000sqft structure, would house the digital section with e-books and e-journals, a videoconferencing facility and high-speed Internet for students. More than 80 per cent students of the varsity depend on the library.

There are also plans to keep the library open for a longer duration. The library now opens at 10am and closes by 8.30pm. The new plans would see the library open by 8am and close around 10pm.

The Parija library is named after the varsity's former vice-chancellor and eminent scientist Pranakrushna Parija. The authorities also plan to set up a chair in his name in the biotechnology department.