Thiruvananthapuram: In a significant setback, the state government has incurred a loss of Rs 500 crore allocated by the central government for the development of colleges. The funds, intended for enhancing higher education under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme, have been wasted due to mismanagement at the state level.
The RUSA project, implemented in three phases, aims to bolster the higher education sector. However, the state’s failure to effectively execute the second phase has hindered the receipt of funds from the Central government for the third phase. Consequently, Rs 500 crore earmarked for the development of 100 aided colleges has been lost, as the Center had planned to allocate Rs 5 crore per college.
During the second phase of RUSA, the funding ratio between the central and state governments stood at 60:40. While the central funds were acquired, the state failed to fulfill its share of the contribution. As per central regulations, colleges that have not fully implemented the second phase will not receive funds for the third phase. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal are among the states affected by this loss.
In a last-minute effort to rectify the situation, Kerala hurriedly inaugurated the project, despite the second phase of RUSA nearing completion nationwide. Higher Education Minister R Bindu inaugurated the project online, presenting it as a state initiative. This rushed inauguration follows the Center’s stance that funds would not be allocated for the third phase unless the second phase was completed on schedule.
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