NED counting on Sindh govt for bailout

Karachi
Given a massive shortfall of professional universities catering to the ever-rising population of the metropolis, the Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw University of Engineering and Technology (NED) - Sindh's leading engineering institute - needs urgent government support to overcome its financial crisis, stated NED Teachers Association President Prof Dr Usman Ali Shah while talking to The News on Wednesday.
The university, requiring around Rs700 to Rs800 million for it to sustain its day-to-day functioning was yet to receive its official grant of Rs200 million, supposed to be paid by the Sindh government before the current fiscal year expires on June 30.
The amount announced by the provincial government for fiscal 2014-15 for all universities of Sindh, according to Prof Shah was paid to other universities, but not to NED.
Being one of the few universities to carry out standard researches, owing to the persisting financial crunch, the ongoing research work on a number of projects got severely affected, while the faculty and other staff members suffered due to delayed salary payments.
Unlike other universities, NED’s expenses were comparatively higher as it needed to upgrade and maintain its laboratories for which Prof Shah said that a demand of Rs500 million was made to the provincial government, however, it only approved Rs200 million.
Further elaborating on the university’s predicament, he claimed that it took the administration at least six months to materialise the budgetary announcement of a 10 percent increase in salaries and allowances to the university staff.
“Keeping in consideration the ratio of inflation the common man remains beset with rising economic burden, and we employees are deprived of all such allowances on a regular basis,” Prof Shah said.
There were around 400 teachers including more than 120 PhD faculty members who awaited their due salaries but the government did not seem serious in addressing their problems, he added disappointingly.
Acknowledging Sindh Finance and Energy Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah’s use of influence to generate funds, he said that the provincial minister had managed to acquire a grant of Rs250 million, while the Higher Education Commission (HEC) also provided over Rs200 million to the varsity to meet its expenses for the ongoing financial year.
Shah also spoke highly of the university’s vice chancellor, Prof Dr Muhammad Afzal Haque, who he said managed to reduce the debt piling on the university effectively.
”Within a span of two years, Dr Haque brought the deficit of Rs1.8 billion down by more than 50 percent.”
If the government released all grants to the university immediately it would not be difficult for NED to manage its financial problems, given that all commercial loans had already been paid off, he said.
Referring to residential accommodations provided to teachers by universities all across the country, he also demanded of the government to establish a housing society for NED’s teaching faculty on an immediate basis and also demanded to resolve problems being faced by the non-teaching staff.
“After retirement, every employee has a right to be paid their salaries for a whole year but NED’s teachers are not given any such benefits.”
It was the responsibility of the provincial government to look after the affairs of universities’ after the 18th amendment was promulgated and the Sindh government had much to do on its part, Prof Shah said.