Govt allocates Rs65 billion for HEC

ICT educational institutions get Rs7.23 billion

ISLAMABAD:

The coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has allocated Rs65 billion for the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Announcing the budget, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that the government has earmarked Rs65 billion in the current budget for Higher Education Commission. “In addition, Rs44 billion have been allocated for the development schemes of the HEC which is 67 per cent higher than the previous year,” he said.

Of the allocated Rs44.17 billion development budget for the HEC, more than Rs5 billion have been earmarked for 13 new projects and over Rs38.72 billion for 131 ongoing projects.

According to budget documents, Rs10 billion have been allocated for NUST university's Quetta campus and Rs10 billion for 134 various schemes, including the Allama Iqbal scholarship programme, from which 3,000 scholarships will be awarded to Afghans.

In the fiscal budget 2022-23, Rs15 billion have been earmarked for the provision of lab facilities in five leading engineering universities in the country, which form part of the 13 new development projects of the HEC. In addition, Rs15 billion have been allocated for the youth laptop scheme and 11 other small projects.

On the other hand, funds have been set aside for 25 ongoing development projects of the HEC in the new budget and of them Rs150 million have been allocated for 1600 children of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Rs250 million for the construction of a new graduate block of National College of Arts Lahore.

Meanwhile, a total of Rs7.23 billion have been allocated for federal educational institutions and vocational training. Of the sum, Rs5.9 billion have been reserved for 25 ongoing development projects and Rs1.249 billion for nine new development projects.

A sum of Rs200 million have been allocated for the construction of the Directorate General of Religions Affairs at Federal College of Arts in Sector F-11, Rs100 million for the construction of the Federal College of Home Economics in Sector F-11, Rs47 million for the development of Boys College in G-13 Islamabad, Rs68 million for the establishment of Model College for Boys in G-15, Rs30 million for the establishment of Boys College in Margalla Town and Rs106 million has been earmarked for the establishment of National Curriculum Council.

Similarly, Rs 500 million have been allocated for the PREP project on epidemic diseases, Rs3 billion for Prime Minister's Skill for All and Catalyst for the TVET sector projects and Rs382 million has been allocated for the provision of basic facilities in federal educational institutions.

In addition, funds have been earmarked for other projects, including Rs500 million for the Covid Rehabilitation Project. Additionally, funds have also been allocated for two other development projects, including Rs144 million for the recruitment of 200 computer teachers in women's educational institutions in Islamabad.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2022.