HEC funding up from Rs29.4 bn to Rs42.45 bn

Islamabad: The federal government has increased budgetary allocations for the Higher Education Commission's development schemes from Rs29.4 billion in the current financial year to Rs42.45 billion in the next.

According to the 2021-22 budget documents, the HEC’s ongoing schemes have received Rs29.736 billion and new ones Rs12.713 billion. As for the ongoing schemes, Rs1.75 billion has been allocated to the Higher Education Development Programme, Rs800 million to the overseas scholarships, Rs300 million for the establishment of Federal Institute in Hyderabad, Rs300 million for the establishment of FATA University, Rs250 million been allocated for the establishment of NUST Campus in Quetta, Rs225 million for the development of Fatima Jinnah Women University Campus-II (Phase-2) Chakri Road Rawalpindi, Rs100 million for the Centre of Mathematical Science (CMS) at PIEAS Islamabad and Rs100 million for setting up the Main Campus of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology Islamabad.

Also, Rs500 million will go to the expansion and upgradation of International Islamic University Islamabad, Rs250 million to the establishment of the University of Baltistan in Skardu and Rs175 million to the establishment of the University Campus for Women in Bannu. If new schemes to be funded in the next fiscal are examined, Rs375 million has been earmarked for the strengthening of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar, Rs300 million for the strengthening of the Women University Multan (Phase-II) and Rs411 million for upgrading Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.

The government has also doled out Rs1,000 million for the establishment of the Centre for Advanced Research in Molecular, Genetic and Allied Facilities at SMBB Medical University Larkana and Rs25 million for the provision of missing facilities for the Shaikh Ayaz University Shikarpur.