NIT Srinagar received nothing of Rs 100 cr sanctioned in 2016

Srinagar, Feb 22: The National Institute of Technology, Srinagar (NIT), hasn’t received a penny out of the Rs 100 crore sanctioned to it from the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) in 2016.
Instead, the institute, as per a source in NIT, was made to spend Rs 35.12 crore from its plan grants on the promise of it getting refunded.
The funds were supposed to be used to upgrade and improve the facilities and research infrastructure at the institute.
The projects undertaken under this scheme were to include: hostel development, development of playground, laying of artificial turfs, improving library, establishment of health centre, upgrading classrooms to smart classrooms, setting up of earthquake centre, and to build other facilities for the students.
“In 2016, Rs 100 crore was sanctioned to the institute. The (Human Resource Development) ministry instead of granting us the funds told us to carry on spending out of our normal grants,” an NIT official said.
“We have spent around Rs 35 crores out of the normal grants. So far, no money under PMDP has been allotted to us,” he said.
Professor Mohammad Farooq Wani, Dean Faculty Welfare and Coordinator for PMDP NIT, told The Kashmir Monitor that in 2018, they had approached the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) about the pending funds.
“We were told that PMDP funds will be released after getting the consent from the (Union) Finance department and were asked to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to MHRD,” Prof Wani said.
“We submitted the DPR. We have already spent Rs 35.12 crore from the normal grants and they have agreed to give us the remaining amount of Rs 65 crore in the month of February,” he added.
Asked about it, Director NIT, Srinagar, Dr Rakesh Sehgal said: “The ministry is in the process of giving us the money. They had asked us to spend from our plan grant and later on said, they will reimburse the amount.”