Rs 9.8 billion allocated for mega projects at universities

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad here on Friday evening said Rs 9.8 billion had been allocated for 91 different mega projects at public sector universities across the province.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Medical Research City at Ojha Campus of Dow University Health Sciences (DUHS), he said federal and provincial governments were equally committed towards the promotion of education as well as other public development aspects.
"The national annual development fund, which was Rs 4.09 billion, some four to five years back has now turned to be more than Rs 34 billion," he said. He maintained that budgetary allocation for higher education and research had also surged from 0.2 percent of the annual budgetary allocation to two percent.
Mentioning that higher education was among the top priorities of the government at both federal and provincial levels, the governor said efforts were underway to invest Rs 25 billion to Rs 30 billion in each of the public sector university.
"Previously we used to register that a mere 35 percent to 40 percent of allocation were released to the concerned institutions, now through a foolproof mechanism almost 100 percent release is made," the Sindh governor said.
He, on the occasion, also appreciated that DUHS in a record period of three years had made commendable progress and attained accomplishments which otherwise were considered to be difficult.
Ibad in this regard referred to establishment of the largest digital library in the country at DUHS and also the International Medical College for children of overseas Pakistanis. The Sindh governor also announced to donate money to strengthen development activities undergoing there.
He later inaugurated the DUHS Medical Research City with Dow Diagnostic Reference and Research Laboratories and Jinnah Genome Centre as its important components. The governor on the occasion also laid the foundation stone for Library and Sports Complex at the complex, which houses different constituent institutions of the university.
DUHS Vice Chancellor Professor Masood Hameed Khan said Medical Research City would be one of its kind of centre providing medical research and treatment facilities under the single roof. He expressed his gratitude to the Higher Education Commission for its support to get materialised the project.
Dr Masood Hameed mentioned that DUHS Nursing Institute and Institute of Medical Technology, a 500-bed hospital, Jinnah Genome Centre, Dow International Medical College, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Dow University Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinological Diseases, Library Block and Sports Complex are some of the numerous projects undertaken by the university.
He said the Dow Institute of Health Management Sciences was providing new vistas of education, training and employment for young doctors, pharmacists and other medical professionals.