NEW DELHI: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said that the state government-funded universities will now have financial autonomy as their Vice Chancellors have been empowered to sanction new works amounting upto Rs 5 crore per annum, if carried out by Public Works Department (PWD).
He said that if some other agency performs the repair and maintenance, there is a permission to sanction Rs 1 crore per annum.
"So far, the universities have not been given this financial autonomy and are dependent on the government for sanction of works that they might need to undertake on an urgent basis...this is a reform measure for improving the functioning of the universities," said Sisodia, who also holds the Education and Finance portfolios, in a statement.
"The (Finance) department should ensure immediate implementation of this delegation of financial powers," he said.
An official told IANS that earlier there was a long procedure to get a university task sanctioned by the government, involving "many proposals and files to be passed by various officers".