Delhi University projects stuck over UGC nod

“For new building projects, (Rs 216.07 crore) proposal is not agreed, as there is no allocation of funds. However, it may be considered next financial year, subject to availability of funds from MHRD. For building projects, proposals above Rs 75 lakh need to be placed before the UGC standing committee,” the letter said.

DU also has to make cost adjustments for ongoing building projects, approved under the XII Plan. “For ongoing XII plan building projects, the amount required by DU is Rs 103.60 crore — of which UGC allocated Rs 36.88 crore in 2017-18. The University is in need of additional Rs 68 crore, which is not allocated. Hence, proposal of only Rs 36.88 crore may be agreed,” the UGC said.

It also said that it cannot allow re-appropriation of either the OBC expansion grant to building projects or the Excellence Grant.

The UGC also asked the university to restructure its proposal for financing, in the form of loans from the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA). This is also placed on the agenda of the EC meeting, sources said.

“This happened because the money that had come to DU could not be utilised due to administrative inefficiency. Now, we have to depend on loans from HEFA for infrastructure development… The larger implication of this is increasing students’ fee,” Rajesh Jha, an EC member, said.