Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: Minister for Planning & Development Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, today said that the twin Central Universities of Kashmir and Jammu were sanctioned during the year 2011.
Replying to a question of Ravinder Sharma in the Upper House today, the Minister said that 4254 kanal – 14 marla of forest land was acquired for establishment of the Central University of Jammu for which an amount of Rs. 22.45 crore stands released as compensation to the Forest Department. He said, the funds to the tune of Rs. 4.52 crore have been released to the Deputy Commissioner, Samba for final award for the private and Evacuee land measuring 625 kanal and 5 marla.
Mr. Sadhotra informed that the University has recently commenced the construction of the building for Directorate of Distance Learning, initially to be used to pursue the academic activities, residential accommodation for faculty, students’alongwith associated services and utilities at an estimated cost of Rs. 116.29 crore. The University has released an amount of Rs. 69.37 crore for undertaking the infrastructural development, against which an amount of Rs. 20 crore stands utilized so far, the Minister informed.
Referring to Central University of Kashmir, the Minister informed that the University has already taken over possession of the land measuring 503 acres at village Kurhama-Tulmulla-Zarigund of District Ganderbal and an amount of Rs. 20.50 crore stands released by the Central Government for infrastructural development of the University. The fencing wall and site office has been constructed at the campus to provide logistic support to the University officials involved in the construction at an estimated cost of Rs. 11.85 crore, he said.
Mr. Sadhotra further informed that four Universities in the State namely University of Jammu, University of Kashmir, Islamic University of Science & Technology Awantipora and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri are being paid Grant-in-Aid out of plan/non-plan funds. He said Universities of Kashmir and Jammu being old Universities of the State have now started their campuses in District headquarters facilitating the students to pursue higher studies in their respective district headquarters.
The performance audit of the University of Kashmir stands conducted by the Audit party deputed by AG’s office, J&K Srinagar for the period 2008-09 to 2012-13. The findings of the said Audit have been responded to by the concerned University.
The audit of the accounts of the University of Jammu has been conducted in two spells, first one upto March, 2010 and the 2nd w.e.f April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 by the Principal Accountant General, J&K Srinagar. However the Report of the Audit conducted from the period 1.4.2010 to 31.3.2013 is still awaited from the office of the Accountant General J&K Srinagar.
The accounts of both Islamic University of Science & Technology, Awantipora, Kashmir and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri have been audited upto March 2013 by the statutory auditors of the Universities namely M/S Gupta Gupta& Associates.
Replying to supplementaries by Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, the Minister informed that the Campuses of both the Universities are functional.
Replying to another question by Showakat Hussain Ganaie the Minister informed that the Higher Education Department has constituted a Committee to look into the feasibility/ other parameters and to devise a mechanism for establishment of new Degree Colleges in uncovered areas of the State.
The Minister said that the Committee has visited most of the identified places/ areas and has submitted the feasibility report which is under examination of the Department. Establishment of Degree College in Wachi constituency has not been found feasible by the Committee, he maintained.
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