PHOTO: EXPRESS ILLUSTRATION
The committee, chaired by Senator Muhammad Usman Kakar met at the Parliament House on Tuesday was informed by the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) secretary said that 29 seats had already existed in the colleges, while 236 seats – 4 each in 59 colleges – had been added on the recommendation of the committee, which was more than the existing quota.
The Senate panel appreciated the action taken by the PMC and said that the step would offer better opportunities to the students of less developed areas.
The meeting was also attended by Senators Hasil Khan Bizenjo, Sardar Shafiq Tareen, Nighat Mirza, Kalsoom Parveen, Anwar Lal Deen, Gianchnad, Sarfaraz Bugti, Maulvi Faiz Muhammad, National Health Services deputy secretary, PMC secretary, Higher Education Commission director general and others.
While discussing the budget allocation and its utilisation under each head of HEC for the current financial year and proposed budget demands for the next year, the committee was told that Rs62.8 billion had been allocated in 2017-18, and Rs65 billion in 2018-19.
The panel was informed that Rs103.5 billion had been demanded for 2019-20 but HEC was allocated Rs59.1 billion, which was 45 % less than the demand and 9.5 % less than last year’s allocation.
Out of Rs59.1 billion, Rs23.6 billion, which is 40% of the amount has been given to HEC and most of it has been utilised.
The meeting was apprised that most of the universities did not have sufficient funds to pay salaries and pensions for the next quarter due to budget curtailment and were running in losses.
The committee decided to hear the stance of finance and education ministries in the next meeting and summoned the details of losses faced by universities across the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2020.
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