Agricultural University Peshawar to establish three sub-campuses

[Talal]

Agricultural University Peshawar to establish three sub-campuses

PESHAWAR: Agricultural University (AU), Peshawar will establish three sub-campuses of the varsity at the cost of Rs 16.5billion in Swat, Hangu and Mardan to promote quality agricultural education under its "Vision 2015" in the province. This was stated by Vice Chancellor Agricultural University, Peshawar, Professor Dr Said Khan Khalil, while talking to a group of journalists at his office here on Monday.

In this connection, he said, the university has already submitted a PC-I with Higher Education Commission (HEC). Survey for establishment of the sub-campus in Swat was conducted on the special recommendation of the provincial government. The survey, he added, was followed by submission of a PC-I worth Rs 5.5 billion.

For establishment of the campus in Mardan, the university had already acquired 200 kanal of land. The campus has been established temporarily in a public building. Initially, 80 students enrolled in the Mardan Campus while 200 have been given admission in the current academic session.

The land, he said, has been acquired after the payment of Rs 130 million while Rs 5 billion are required for the completion of the PC-I of the project. He said that summary in this regard had been sent to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani through Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti.

For the students of Fata, a sub-campus is being established in Hangu. He added that 365 kanal land had been acquired while the acquisition of 1600 kanal more land was in progress. A PC-I of Rs 6 billion has been sent to the Higher Education Commission in this regard.

Dr Khalil told the journalists that the University is introducing four-year bachelor programme in biotechnology & genetic engineering, rural sociology & rural development, management and computer sciences while a two-year programme in Master of Information Technology (MIT) and Master of Computer Sciences (MCS) are also being started.

Elaborating difference projects initiated by the University, the Vice Chancellor said that presently five projects were in progress including Animal Husbandry (Rs 170m), Laboratory & Library (Rs 30m), Bio-Technology & Genetic Engineering ((Rs 40m), Information Technology (Rs 36m), Foreign Faculty Housing & Rest Houses (Rs 54m), respectively.

On the education side, the vice chancellor said that the university is introducing post-graduate classes in animal husbandry, saying an amount of Rs 2.2 billion has been sanctioned for it while Rs 600 million, Rs 400 million, Rs 300 million, Rs 300 million and Rs 600 million have been sanctioned for the strengthening of administrative affairs, Directorate of Works, Human Nutrition, Production of Electricity and boundary-wall and agricultural mechanisation, respectively.

The University, he said, receives 66 scholarships worth Rs 10 million each from the Higher Education Commission. He said that 50 students of the university had completed their PhDs under that scheme. About research activities, he said that the University is active in production of best quality wheat and seeds, saying 105 seeds had already been discovered.

[Toramana]

Last time I checked they couldn't pay the annual increment to their employees because that will take the annual deficit to new heights. HEC right now has no funds. And a vice-chancellor complained there are no funds available for expanding developmental work.

Submiting a PC-1 is not an indication of progress made. Vice-chancellors make such statements to show performance.

[Talal]

Pakistan HEC is on the verge of collapsing due to lack of funds.

I read in the news that 72 universities are on the way to collapsing and the study and research levels have dropped due to lack of funds.

Govt agrees to release funds to varsities for raise

ISLAMABAD: The government agreed on Thursday to immediately release funds for a 65 per cent increase in the salary of university teachers and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) requested the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) to withdraw its call for an indefinite strike in state-run universities.

Funds have been reduced but the situation is nowhere close to as alarming as you guys are putting it out to be..The teachers made a lot of noise (and rightly so) to get pay raise and the government eventually caved in..problemo solved

[Omar Usman]

When is this news from? Current VC is Dr. Khan Bahadur & not Dr. Said Khan Khalil.

[Toramana]

Govt agrees to release funds to varsities for raise

Funds have been reduced but the situation is nowhere close to as alarming as you guys are putting it out to be..The teachers made a lot of noise (and rightly so) to get pay raise and the government eventually caved in..problemo solved

Such glaring lies. Reality was, annual increment to employees was announced in budget (June 2010) not that teachers made a demand for it. But universities didn't have the budget to pay it e.g., I learnt from reliable sources that Peshawar University is currently running an annual deficit of one and half billion rupees, which will jump to almost 1.7 billion rupees if the annual increase as announced in budget is paid.

One should be a littlre bit honest.

[Talal]

I hope the problem is solved is Talal.

it wont be completely solved till the war is over, major funds are diverted towards the war effort and this year these floods took a major toll on our economy

[Toramana]

When is this news from? Current VC is Dr. Khan Bahadur & not Dr. Said Khan Khalil.

This is some old news Talal posted to paint this brave image of Pakistani state.

[Talal]

When is this news from? Current VC is Dr. Khan Bahadur & not Dr. Said Khan Khalil.

9 March 2010 ~ Brecorder.com

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

Such glaring lies. Reality was, annual increment to employees was announced in budget (June 2010) not that teachers made a demand for it. But universities didn't have the budget to pay it e.g., I learnt from reliable sources that Peshawar University is currently running an annual deficit of one and half billion rupees, which will jump to almost 1.7 billion rupees if the annual increase as announced in budget is paid.

One should be a littlre bit honest.

To the first point

Countrywide strike by university teachers

ISLAMABAD: Along with other cities, teachers of universities in the federal capital went on a strike on Wednesday and suspended classes to protest against a cut in the budget for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and non-payment of funds for raising of salaries by 50 percent.

To the second point

The university isnt running a 1.5 Billion deficit as you put it to be but yes the deficit is there and it is about Rs. 454 million and due to that deficit Peshawar University didnt raise the salaries ( if they did it would amount to Rs 650 million ) but a proposal has been sent to the federal government to issue a special grant to the peshawar university to overcome this deficit.

Please check with your "resources" and before calling what i post "glaring lies" look at the ridiculous deficits you posted where in reality the deficit isnt even half of that and even for that the university is seeking a federal grant.

One is honest but people do need to look beyond the bias and at the actual facts and figures

[Talal]

I really hope its the way you make it appear Talal. Peshawar is our stronghold and we want to see them educated and aware.

Jasmine I never make my arguments based on " so and so said this " or " i know some people who said this "

Here's the source for what i said above..the figures that i quoted were the ones presented to the Chancellor of University, i dont think you can have a more accurate estimate than that presented to the Chancellor of the University

toramana's source that informed him that the varisty was running a deficit of Rs 1.4 Billion is a huge deviation from the actual figures and he didnt even name these "sources"


DAWN.COM | Peshawar | Peshawar varsity senate defers 50pc raise in salaries

PESHAWAR, Aug 3: The Senate of Peshawar University on Tuesday deferred 50 per cent increase in the salaries of its employees and approved an estimated budget of Rs1345.680 million with a shortfall of Rs454 million for the year 2010-11.

The decision was made at a meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, who is chancellor of the university, in the chair at the Governor’s House, said a handout.

The senate was informed that the total impact of the proposed increase in salaries and pensions of the employees of the university comes to Rs241 millions, which if implemented, would increase the overall deficit to Rs635 million. Without any special support, the university would not be in a position to implement the proposal of 50 per cent increase in pay of its employees as per the announcement by the Federal Government in the federal budget.

The meeting adopted a unanimous resolution requesting both the federal and provincial governments to provide special grant to the university in this regard.

Appreciating the constitution of a special committee by the syndicate of the university in this respect, the senate widened its scope to suggest austerity measures with special focus on rationalising the existing financial expenditures to help the university in tackling the difficulties efficiently.

[muhsina]

The federal govt [if there is any such thing in Pakistan] will not have the money reserves to pay its employees their salaries after two months according to GEO TV's "AAJ Kamran Khan Kay Sath" and we are discussing federal govt trying to fund this varsity and that varsity. Good morning Guys.

[Toramana]

I apologise for the error. The figure was actually half billions which would jump to 0.7 billions.

But what I am learning is that retired military officers can no longer get their pensions and that colleges/vasities in Lahore are going to be privatized due to lack of funds (learnt it from private sources). The IPPs (power generating companies) have an outstanding loan of around 3 billion dollars with WAPDA and they supply electricity to WAPDA only when they are paid an instalment (after IMF pays a loan installment).

[khyaal]

At the moment there is severe load shedding (power cut off) for more than 10 hours a day even in Peshawar city not to speak the situation in villages and rural areas where it could reach upto 18 hours.

[Talal]

I apologise for the error. The figure was actually half billions which would jump to 0.7 billions.

I hope it doesnt, Peshawar university needs to take some initiatives itself that can help reduce that deficit and I am positive government or the army might bail it out. I say the army because Kayani has been making quite a lot of overtures to KP and Balochistan to compensate for the damage done during Musharraf's regime

But what I am learning is that retired military officers can no longer get their pensions and that colleges/vasities in Lahore are going to be privatized due to lack of funds (learnt it from private sources). The IPPs (power generating companies) have an outstanding loan of around 3 billion dollars with WAPDA and they supply electricity to WAPDA only when they are paid an instalment (after IMF pays a loan installment).

I have no idea about their pension since its unrelated to the topic but i am aware of the chronic energy shortage Pakistan is facing right now. But things are moving ahead in that direction too

PEPCO has been dissolved to pave way for more efficient electricity distribution

China has okayed another 1000 Mega Watt reactor that in addition to the other two, one of which will start functioning this year will provide a good short term solution

Turkmenistan has offered 1000 Mega Watt

Private Electric distribution companies might be allowed to move in

and biggest one of em all

PAEC has been officially told to build a 8000 Mega Watt nuke reactor

And these are all the nuclear options

about ten or so small scale dam projects are being pursued in FATA whereas work on Bhasha Dam will be officially inaugurated this month

[Toramana]

In may, Pakistan was facing a shortfall of 80 million tons of oil and 30 million tons of gas. Moreover, launching new power-generation projects is not so simple. It needs time and above all money, which the cash-strapped state/govt that is unable to even pay salaries can't provide.

As for army, that is laughable. Let the Punjab-based army divour resources and do extra-judicial killig of Pashtuns.

These things are related. They show how is the overall situation and how much can the state provide for matters of urgent needs.