To further improve the standard of Higher Education in the State, the Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the release

Chandigarh: To further improve the standard of Higher Education in the State, the Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the release of total Rs 75.75 crore recurring Grant for 11 more constituent colleges at Rs 1.5 crore per college per annum from the year 2016-17 to 2020-21.

The Cabinet, led by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, also okay regular budgetary provision of Rs 1.5 crore per annum per college for the subsequent year. With this, the total number of colleges to which the state government is paying recurring grant has gone up to 30.

Capt Amarinder Singh

Of these colleges, three, namely University College, Dhuri (Sangrur); University College, Bahadurpur (Mansa) and University College, Barnala, are part of Punjabi University, Patiala.

Six others – University College, Pathankot; University College, Sujanpur (Pathankot): Baba Namdev University Degree College, Kishankot (Gurdaspur): University College, Phillaur (Jalandhar); Uiniversity College (Nakodar) and Uiniversity College, Kalanaur (Gurdaspur) are part of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar while the remaining two, University College, Ferozpur and University College, Dharamkot (Moga), come under Panjab University, Chandigarh.

The grant would help in timely release of salary to the teachers, thus motivating them to continue imparting better quality education to the students.

Punjab government

Meanwhile, in another decision, the Cabinet approved the Annual Administrative Report of the Social Security, Women and Child Development Department for the year 2018-19.

Financial Assistance to the Aged Widows and Destitute Women, Dependent children and Persons with Disabilities, Financial Assistance Acid Attack Victims, Schemes for the Empowerment of Women, Implementation of Acts relating to prevention of violence and crime against Women, Integrated Child Development Scheme, Integrated Child Protection Scheme, Schemes related to Empowerment of Persons with disabilities and Implementation of the related Acts and Schemes related to Welfare of Senior Citizens were successfully completed by the department during the period.

It may be pointed out that budget allocation on the capital side during the year 2018-19 was Rs 261.50 lacs. The total expenditure on the Capital side was Rs 58.50 lacs respectively.