E-Paper
Delhi govt releases funds to 12 DU colleges
New Delhi: While the Delhi government released funds for the 12 fully government-funded Delhi university colleges on Wednesday, colleges said their problems were
New Delhi: While the Delhi government released funds for the 12 fully government-funded Delhi university colleges on Wednesday, colleges said their problems were far from over as the funds were inadequate. Delhi University Teachers’ Association on Thursday also wrote to education minister Manish Sisodia over the matter.
Delhi government’s Directorate of Higher Education on Wednesday released Rs 18.75 crore to the 12 colleges as the grant-in-aid for these colleges.
“We have received 20% fewer funds this time for the salary of teaching, non-teaching and outsourced staff like guards, peon and housekeeping staff,” said the principal of one such college, requesting anonymity. The principal added that seven DU colleges had not paid salaries of their staff in April and May. “Some colleges ended up using student funds for salaries. There is no fund for electricity bills or maintenance of any kind. If this pattern continues, college fees might be hiked in an arbitrary manner just for maintenance.”
DUTA president Rajib Ray wrote a letter to Sisodia on Thursday citing the deficits in each of the 12 colleges. “The grants, sanctioned till date, are much less than the money required to cover salaries up to May. The grants sanctioned on March 25 were barely enough to cover salaries of January and February. Similarly, Grant-in-Aid released on May 7 could not cover salaries up to April,” he wrote, adding that the June sanction was also inadequate.
Despite text messages to Sisodia and his office, the government did not comment on the matter.
For colleges like Deen Dayal Upadhyay College, Dr BR Ambedkar College, and Keshav Mahavidyalaya, the deficits are above Rs 2 crore, as per the letter. “The 12 colleges are in dire need of the additional funds necessary for infrastructure development for smooth academic and administrative functioning. The colleges still await the release of funds for additional posts for teaching and non-teaching staff in view of the extension of reservation to EWSs and consequent increase in intake of students,” DUTA said in its letter.
