Rs 46 crore infra grant for 23 colleges approved

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 4

The Project approval Board (PAB) of Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has approved infrastructure development grant of Rs 2-crore each to 23 colleges in Himachal which will be released in installment, depending on utilisation of the funds by respective colleges.

The state government had prepared a case for infrastructure grant to 27 colleges but the PAB approved 23 colleges, including the St Bedes College and aspects like accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), letter of intent (LOI) and development plans of each college were considered.

Out of these 23 colleges, only 14 have valid NAAC accreditation while remaining nine colleges are on the edge and the officers from the state, who attended the meeting, were able to convince the PAB to include these for grants.

The Additional Chief secretary (Education) has convened a meeting of 67 government colleges here on September 16 to review the initiatives taken by the colleges for seeking NAAC accreditation, release and utilisation of grant, progress of works and other related issues.

The PAB had earlier approved infrastructure development grants for 20 colleges. But so far these colleges have been released Rs 45-lakh each as utilisation certificates, which is essential for the release of the next installment of grants, have not been submitted by several colleges.

As far as the issue pertaining to the creation of University at Mandi with cluster of colleges is concerned, only four colleges have been approved for inclusion. However, the Rs 50-crore grant approved for the same has not been released. The PAB has asked the state to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and as soon as the DPR is approved, first installment of Rs 18-crore would be released, said Project Officer of RUSA Gobind Singh.

The case of setting up two model colleges was at a final stage. Land had been identified but clearance under the Forest Conservation Act is awaited. The PAB had approved projects worth Rs 164 cr for 2014-15 and 2015-16 but so far Rs 22-crore had been released and Rs 19-crore had been utilised.

So far infrastructure grants have been approved for 43 colleges to be spent in two years and the expenditure pattern includes 35 per cent for new infrastructure creation, 35 per cent for upgradation and 30 per cent for equipment like smart class-room, Wi-Fi facility, computerisation, e-library and other high tech aids, Singh said.