J&K Govt plans to spend over Rs 150 cr on Higher Education in 2023

Jammu, Mar 9 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir government has planned to spend over Rs 150 crores on various infrastructural activities in higher education in the next year.
Chairing a meeting here at Civil Secretariat, Principal Secretary Higher Education, Rohit Kansal reviewed the status of various components under Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) Scheme and said, “the activities include not just upgradation of physical infrastructure but other activities also such as faculty development, research centres and innovation hubs.”
A detailed discussion was held regarding the different projects undertaken under RUSA Scheme which include various projects in Jammu University, Govt College of engineering & Technology (GCET) Safapora and GCET Janglot Kathua.
While reviewing the physical and financial status of projects of Jammu University under RUSA Scheme, the Principal Secretary asked the varsity to furnish all the details of work done as well as fresh proposals under Rs 100 Crore grants, besides directing them to submit the latest physical and financial activities to MD RUSA for further submitting it to Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Regarding the status of works at GCET Safapora, he directed MD JKPCC to submit a proposal of pending works or additional works for timely completion of the vital project in Higher Education map of J&K.
Similarly, with regard to GCET Janglot, Kansal asked the concerned officials to speed  up all the pending works at earliest for subsequent handover of the projects by the end of April this year.
Further, he impressed upon the concerned officials  to be proactive in completion of projects and to further expedite submission of the utilization certificates. He also directed MD RUSA to review all works under the domain of the scheme and remove all bottlenecks for early completion of the projects within given timelines.
The meeting also reviewed the physical and financial status of pending works under RUSA I and other civil works under different components of the scheme.
During the meeting, Kansal sanctioned Rs 10 Crore for Research Tower at Jammu University, out of which Rs 5 crore would be granted under CAPEX Budget during next financial year.
He also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment in research infrastructure support for higher education institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier during the meeting, MD RUSA Dr Sehrish informed the chair that during RUSA phase-I,  out of approved outlay of Rs 269 Crore, Rs 260 Crore were released out of which Rs 95 Crore has been expended with UCs submitted for Rs 229 crore.  Similarly, under RUSA phase-II, she informed that of Rs 284 Crore outlay, Rs 129 crore has been released out of which Rs 101 crore has been spent already with UCs submitted for Rs 57 crore works.
While discussing the RUSA phase-III, the Principal Secretary asked MD RUSA to prepare a draft list of projects so that proposals could be subsequently prepared according to the needs of the higher education institutions and colleges and submitted to the Ministry of Education.