College in Khagaria surrenders Rs 40 lakh to UGC

KHAGARIA: The construction of girls’ hostel for Mahila Mahavidyalaya at Khagaria, a constituent unit of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU), hangs in the balance as a sum of Rs40 lakh granted by the University Grants Commission (UG) for the purpose was surrendered on October 1 as the authorities failed to get vacated a portion of land grabbed by some local people.
College sources said a proposal for the construction of hostel was sent to the UGC’s eastern regional office at Kolkata under the 10th five-year plan by the college administration in the year 2005.
“The college administration has no option except to refund the amount to the UGC as the district administration failed to get the encroached land vacated,” said principal Kiranmala Verma.
The UGC sanctioned Rs80 lakh for the construction of girls’ hostel and the first instalment of Rs40 lakh was released to the college nearly 10 years ago. The foundation stone of the hostel was laid by former TMBU vice-chancellor Prema Jha on October 26, 2009.
Similarly, a sum of Rs51 lakh sanctioned by the UGC for infrastructural development and purchase of apparatus and equipment was surrendered as the college administration failed to utilize the grant.