BERHAMPUR: Even as the Odisha Government is aiming at modernising infrastructure and improving teaching and learning in universities across the State, funds sanctioned for the purpose have remained unspent in the Berhampur University (BU).
The university has not been able to spend its share of World Bank funds under the Odisha Higher Education Programme for Excellence & Equity (OHEPEE). According to reports, less than 50 per cent of the funds have been utilised so far under the first phase of the project which would conclude in 2022.
The OHEPEE is a five-year project for which, a MoU was signed between Government of India and the World Bank in 2017 to improve the quality of education, infrastructure and governance of higher educational institutions in Odisha.
Under it, 70 colleges and six universities of the State including Berhampur University were selected for grants. Funds to the tune of `23.29 crore was earmarked for BU and in 2018, the university in first phase received `3.50 crore to be spent on various heads within November 30,2022. After completion of the first phase work within the deadline, funds for the second phase would be sanctioned to the university.
The project entails 60 pc of the total expenditure on civil works and procurement of equipment for laboratories in the institution and rest on infrastructure development of classrooms, library and laboratories.
To audit utilisation of OHEPEE funds by the universities, the Higher Education Department had roped in an agency, Nabard Consultancy Services Ltd. And as per the audit carried out by the agency in BU on Tuesday, of the `3.50 crore sanctioned in 2018, the university has only spent `1.25 crore till March this year. Under the agreement between Government of India and World Bank, the universities had to submit their utilisation certificate of 60 per cent of the funds and upload the expenditure report on their website for transparency, but BU is yet to do so.
Following the audit, the Nabard Consultancy team comprising two personnel has asked the university authorities to submit utilisation certificate for the OHEPEE funds that it has spent so far.
While the BU officials refused to state the exact reasons behind the delay in the last two years, they said Covid-19 outbreak has affected the projects considerably. Many of the infrastructure development works were to be implemented this year but could be taken up during the last five months following the outbreak of the Covid-19 health pandemic, an official said. The university has remained closed since March last week.
EDUCATION AID
The project entails 60 pc of the total expenditure on civil works and procurement of equipment for laboratories in the institution and rest on infrastructure development of classrooms, library and laboratories
Funds of `23.29 crore was earmarked for BU and in 2018, the university in first phase received `3.50 crore to be spent on various heads within November 30,2022