Sindh varsities only complete 25pc work on uplift schemes

KARACHI: The Pro-Chancellor and Adviser to Chief Minister on Boards and Universities, Nisar Khuhro, expressed anger and frustration over the administration of many universities responsible for delaying their respective development projects.

He was chairing a meeting on development schemes in Sindh’s public universities on Monday. It was attended by Universities and Boards Secretary Alimuddin, vice-chancellors, project directors and other relevant officers. During the meeting, Nisar Khuhro expressed concern over non-implementation of various development schemes in the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law and Karachi University, despite release of funds for their development schemes. The meeting was told that only 25 per cent work on development schemes has been completed and the rest of work was underway and it was apprehended that the remaining funds may lapse if not used in the given time-frame. The university administrations were unable to explain the delay.

The meeting decided to set up a project management unit in the department to monitor timely completion of development schemes. The Sindh government allocated Rs200 million schemes for construction of city campuses, including auditoriums, classrooms and facilities at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law, but the university could spend only Rs51 million. Khuhro instructed the SZABUL administration to present a progress report on development projects within a month.

Likewise, for construction and upgrading of the girls hostel and academic blocks at the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, a scheme of Rs791 million was allocated in 2015 and Rs130 million was allocated this year out of which Rs30 million had been released. However, the JSMU administration is yet to open a separate bank account and initiate development work.