LG Secy writes to Delhi CM’s office over ‘fund cuts’ to 12 DU colleges

The LG Secretariat has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office to address the issue of alleged fund cuts to 12 Delhi University colleges by the city government that fully funds them.

Noting that non-disbursal of funds due to these 12 colleges has led to their physical infrastructure becoming unsafe owing to disrepair, the LG Secretariat has also written to the Chief Secretary to get the premises of these colleges inspected in terms of safety and report to the Lt Governor, PTI reported.

The LG Secretariat received representations from the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) and Delhi University Principals’ Association (DUPA), which alleged that there were deliberate fund cuts by the AAP government to 12 DU colleges.

The NDTF, an association of Delhi University teachers, submitted a representation to the LG on February 7, regarding non-payment of salaries and curtailing the funds of the 12 colleges fully funded by the city government.

“Taking note of the issues, the Lt. Governor Secretariat wrote to the Chief Minister’s Office on February 17, requesting the issue to be brought to the notice of the chief minister and consider releasing the due funds to the colleges concerned and address the issues raised by the associations.

“Further, in view of the safety of students, teachers and staff of these colleges, the LG Secretariat wrote on February 23 asking the Chief Secretary, Delhi, to conduct an inspection of these colleges on priority and sought a status report within 15 days,” an official said.

The NDTF claimed that funds of these 12 colleges were unduly cut and delayed by the Delhi government which has resulted in an inordinate delay in the disbursal of salaries to the staff for the last five years. It said that on many occasions, salaries were not paid to the teachers and staff for two to four consecutive months.

The NDTF informed the LG that non-disbursal of funds due to them has also resulted in hampering of repair and maintenance works, pending since long, which had led to the physical infrastructure in these colleges becoming unsafe. This posed a danger to the staff and students, the teachers’ association apprised the LG.

The NDTF, in its representation, had underlined that even in the revised estimates (RE) passed recently by the Delhi government, there was a fund cut to the tune of nearly Rs 113 crore.

It also alleged harassment by the members/chairpersons of the governing bodies of these colleges appointed by the Delhi government. It requested the LG to issue directions to the Delhi government to release the full funds to these colleges that have been pending for the last five years.

On February 15, the DU Principals’ Association approached the LG office claiming that DU colleges were not even in a position to pay the salary for the third and fourth quarter of the Financial Year 2022-23, and the funds released by the Delhi government were inadequate to meet the expenditure already due in respect of retirement benefits, medical reimbursements, 7th CPC arrears, promotion arrears, etc.

The 12 DU colleges fully funded by the city government are Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences for Women, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Bhagini Nivedita College, Acharya Narendra Dev College, Maharishi Balmiki College of Education, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science, Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science and Maharaja Agrasen College.

(With PTI inputs)