| Cluster universities delayed, thanks to lazy higher edu dept | | |
Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 22: The failure of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (JKHED) officials to get the funds released from Union government has resulted into delay in establishment of cluster universities and other projects of higher education.
Sources in Higher Education department informed Early Times that for the financial year 2014-15 a total of Rs. 118.14 Crores was earmarked under Rashtriya Ucchtar Shiksha Abhiyaan (RUSA) for six components.
Out of the said amount, Government of India had to release, Rs 106 Crores and Jammu and Kashmir has to cough up Rs. 11.80 Crores as state share.
"Out of its share, the Union government reportedly released only Rs. 23.38 Crores while state government released its complete share of Rs. 11.80 Crores, which was against the pattern of funding", sources said, adding that as per funding pattern, the state has to release, the share in accordance with the percentage of share, released by centre but state government did it.
They further said that for the financial year 2015-16, a total of Rs. 11.70 Crores was released by Union government and out of total Rs. 106 Crores of share, the second installment of Rs. 11.70 Crores was released, despite submission of utilization certificates by state government.
"The Union government withheld the funds reportedly due to failure of officials of Higher Education department to pursue the case for release of funds", sources said.
An official in Higher Education informed that due to failure to get the funds released, all the works under execution as per RUSA have been come to a grindling halt due to creation of liabilities to the tune of several Crores.
The funds released for establishment of two cluster universities were Rs. 18 Crores but liabilities of Rs. 19 Crores have been created on the department. In the component integrated grant for universities under RUSA, liabilities to the tune of Rs. 3 Crores have been created and for establishment of two Engineering colleges, liabilities were also created.
"Due to failure of department to clear the liabilities, the contractors are reluctant to do the work and the work under various components of RUSA have come to a grinding halt", sources said. |
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