Meagre allocation of Rs712 million for capital’s varsities
The government has allocated Rs712.335 million for four universities and three institutes of the federal capital under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next financial year 2011-12.
The funds have been earmarked for ongoing projects and no new project has been identified for the capital in the budget.
Major chunk of the allocation — Rs559 million — will be spent on three projects of the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU).
Allocation of Rs6.466 million has been made for the development and expansion of the National Institute of Psychology at the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Rs23.063 million has been allocated for construction of a botanical garden for evaluation and conservation of medical and aromatic plants at the university and Rs70 million for upgradation and strengthening of QAU.
The establishment of a Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Department at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) at a cost of Rs178 million.
Besides, Rs65 million has been earmarked for strengthening of the Institute of Space Technology, Rs50 million for strengthening of Allama Iqbal Open University; Rs15 million for the establishment of National Centre of Curriculum Studies and Educational Assessment at Allama Iqbal Open University, Rs19.07 million for the construction of a multipurpose sports gymnasium at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) women campus, Rs70.032 million for construction of three hostel blocks at IIUI, and Rs140.704 million for provision of essential facilities at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT).
An amount of Rs75 million has been set aside for upgradation of infrastructure at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (PIEAS).
A senior HEC official requesting not to be named said that the allocated federal funds are far less than the demand made by the commission.
Due to the paucity of funds, no new mega project will be launched in the next year and priority will be given to ongoing development programmes, particularly for ensuring provision of scholarships to scholars pursuing higher studies and research at foreign universities.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2011.
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