Question : UNAUTHORISED GRANTS TO COLLEGES



(a) whether the funds of over rupees one crore have reportedly been released/granted allegedly to certain colleges unauthorisedly by the University Grants Commission (UGC);

(b) if so, the details thereof including the names of those colleges;

(c) whether the Government/UGC has conducted any investigation into the matter;

(d) if so, the outcome thereof and the action taken against those officials who have been found guilty; and

(e) the mechanism put in place by the Government/UGC to check recurrence of such lapses?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. SHASHI THAROOR)

(a) & (b) : Yes, Madam. As per the information received from the University Grants Commission (UGC), it has made certain payments to Patel Memorial National College of Patiala and Shri Baldev PG College, Varanasi that appear to be unauthorized and irregular.

(c) & (d) : An enquiry committee headed by Dr. S. Satyam, Retired Secretary, Govt. of India has been constituted by the UGC to look into the matter, the findings of which have not been received yet. Simultaneously, two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged in Indraprastha Estate Police Station. The responsibility for these lapses can be fixed only after the enquiry committee submits its report and police investigation is completed.

(e) : As informed by the UGC, it has decided to make systemic changes in its systems and procedures, and strengthen internal controls. It has been decided to make payment to Universities/Colleges only through electronic transfers. It is also issuing sanction letters in triplicate, one along with the Grant-in-aid bill to the bank, one to the recipient institution along with the covering letter of the concerned bank and the third copy is returned to the UGC along with the payment voucher for record.