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Patna,(BiharTimes): Things are not going as per plan for the Nalanda International University, the brainchild of the former President, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.
Envisioned as a model to revive links between India and East Asia and between ancient India and modern world it is awaiting pledged contributions from foreign countries. Donors watch carefully whether India, notorious for systemic delays, will be able to get it off or not. |
According to the latest report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, the projected capital expenditure for Nalanda International University is Rs 2,153.8 crore. The recurring cost is between Rs 32.69 crore in the first year and Rs 323.35 in the tenth.
“While the capital expenditure will be borne entirely by the Indian government, we hope that the Endowment Fund to run the university will
be raised from other sources,” a senior MEA official, was quoted in The Sunday Standard recently. This will allow the university a high degree of autonomy. So far, the Fund has received $ one million from China and $1,00,000 from Thailand. The Australian and Japanese governments, as well as Singapore’s Buddhist
community and Thai businessmen, have pledged money, which is yet to come.
The delay in project can be measured from the fact that it is only last month that the government formally confirmed Gopa Sabharwal as the vice-chancellor of the NIU, that is, 15 months after she joined office in October 2010.
Interestingly, Sabharwal has joined as VC not in Nalanda, but in New Delhi.
According to sources most of the delays could be traced to the Ministry of External Affairs, which is unfamiliar in setting up educational
institutions. The MEA finally appointed a joint secretary to deal exclusively with the Nalanda project.
A national monitoring committee headed by the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, was set up last week along with a committee to draw up amendments to the Nalanda University Act 2010. It will submit its report in a month.
Among major amendments is the one to allow the top five contributing countries a seat each on the governing body. “One of the governing board members had even said that it should not
look as if India is auctioning the seats,” said a senior official.
The next meeting of the Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen-led governing body will be held in Patna on July 19, which will aim to give clarity to the issue of fundraising.
“So far, we have got the money
without doing much. But we need to do it more actively,” was how an official was quoted.
Besides, among the matters that require clarification, is how to work with private donors. NIU has already received a pledge of $ one million from a private donor, former Indian ambassador, Madanjeet Singh.
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