No response to repeated communiqués seeking funds
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 10: All the seven off-site campuses of the University of Jammu have failed to get the requisite infrastructure even 10 years after their sanctioning by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as the State Government has maintained non-serious approach towards the repeated communiqués seeking additional funds for the completion of buildings. Due to this, an expenditure of Rs 70 crore made on creation of infrastructure at all the places has remained unfruitful.
The seven off-site campuses of the University of Jammu for Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramnagar, Kathua and Poonch were sanctioned by the University Grants Commission in the year 2007. However, the sanction for release of funds for all the campuses was received by the University of Jammu in November 2011 because of delay in finalization of locations and preparation of Detailed Project Reports, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
In January 2012 the University Grants Commission released 50% of the funds and accordingly the money was transferred to the respective campuses for utilization. As it was not possible for utilization of funds during the 11th Five Year Plan period (2007-2012), the University of Jammu approached UGC for extension in time-frame for construction of infrastructure.
Considering the request of the University of Jammu, the UGC granted extension up to March 31, 2014 for completion of construction activities in various campuses. However, because of numerous reasons the work could not be completed within the timeframe granted by the UGC following which the issue regarding further extension of time-period for completion of projects was again taken up with the UGC.
Though initially the UGC turned down the request of the University of Jammu but after hectic persuasions the UGC vide communication dated August 22, 2014 extended the period of completion up to March 31, 2015. However, within this extended time-line the projects could not be completed as a result of which UGC refused to release balance 50% cost on the ground that it was not possible to further drag the projects sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP).
“Since then the fate of infrastructure for all the 7 off-site campuses of the University of Jammu is hanging in balance”, sources said while disclosing that in most of these campuses only 50% to 60% work has been completed till date.
Holding the slackness of the Jammu University and projects executing agencies responsible for the stalling of construction activities during the past over two years, sources said that had the timelines fixed by the UGC been strictly adhered to the prevailing situation would have not emerged.
In the absence of own infrastructure, some of these off-site campus are being run from the Degree Colleges and District Institute of Education and Training (DIET). “Other campuses are being operated from whatever infrastructure that could be created by utilizing 50% of the funds sanctioned by the UGC”, sources added.
“Even the State Government is not taking interest in getting infrastructure of these off-site campuses completed despite the fact that University of Jammu has taken up the matter with the Government through Higher Education Department a number of times during the past over two years”, they further said, adding the issue was also deliberated in the meetings of University Council a number of times but till date no solution has been found to the prevailing uncertainty.
When contacted, Coordinator Offsite Campuses, Dawood Iqbal Baba confirmed that University has written to the Government a number of times but no decision has so far been taken on the requests seeking one-time financial assistance for completion of infrastructure.
Stating that cost of construction material has escalated enormously during the past over two years, he said, “around Rs 100 crore would be required for completion of infrastructure in all these campuses”, adding “we are pinning hopes only on the Government as UGC is totally non-committal on release of balance 50% funds”.
In response to a question, the Coordinator said that even maximum positions in these off-site campuses are on contractual basis and this issue was also required to be looked into so as to ensure smooth functioning of these campuses.
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