Cuttack, April 5: The state government has come to the rescue of Ravenshaw University, which is facing problems because of shortage of accommodation for its students.

The government will sanction nearly Rs 16 crore for the construction of two hostels in the university in the financial year 2013-14, official sources said.

“We have received a letter from the SC/ST development department. It has agreed to our proposal to set up a hostel to accommodate 300 inmates for the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe girls for Rs 13.09 crore. It has also cleared the proposal for a 100-seat OBC boys’ hostel,” said vice-chancellor B.C. Tripathy.

Sources said adequate land was available for the construction of the two proposed hostels on the campus. Once the funds are released, work for the hostels will start.

At present, the university has four girls’ hostels and five boys’ hostels.

These nine hostels can seat 3,500 of 7,000 students studying at the university. As the university draws students from all over the state, there is a heavy demand for hostel accommodation. It is estimated that nearly 1,000 girls are forced to make their own arrangements outside the campus.

“We don’t feel safe outside the campus. The food and lodging outside are on a higher side,” said a girl student.

The girl students constitute nearly 65 per cent of the total students population at Ravenshaw University, and they have to shell out nearly Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500 a month to stay at the various private mess that have come up outside the varsity campus.

“We are hopeful that the problem of shortage of hostel facility will be minimised with the construction of two hostels with a capacity of nearly 400 students,” said chairman of the Ravenshaw University SC/ST Students’ Welfare Cell Priyabrat Majhi.