<p>The Department of Collegiate Education has stumbled upon gross misuse of grants, amounting to Rs 1.6 crore, provided by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to five aided degree colleges run by the Sharanabasaveshwara Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Gulbarga and Bidar districts. <br /></p>.<p>The department is awaiting further orders from the government to initiate action against the managements of the erring colleges.<br /><br />The misuse of funds relates to construction of health centres and girls’ hostels in the 10th and th plans, for which the UGC had given liberal grants. The colleges facing action are S B Arts College, S B Science College, S B Commerce College, Godutai Arts and Science College for Women (all in Gulbarga), and S S Khuba Arts and Science College of Basavakalyan in Bidar district. <br /><br />Out of the total grants, Rs 29.17 lakh was meant for the construction of health centres and Rs 1.31 crore for the construction of hostel buildings for girls. The inquiry by the Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Gulbarga, follows the matter being raised by Basavaraj Horatti, former primary and secondary education minister, in the Legislative Council recently.<br /><br />The inquiry report, a copy of which is in the possession of Deccan Herald, makes startling revelations regarding blatant misuse of UGC grants. <br /><br />A surprise visit and inspection by the authorities revealed that none of the four health centres existed. <br /><br />All the four colleges are located within a radius of one km to 1.5 km. The principals of these colleges had obtained huge grants for construction of health centres for students. But, as the report pointed out, the principals themselves are not aware of the existence of any health centre. <br /><br />In pontiff’s control<br /><br />The funds are under the control of Sharanabasavappa Appa, the S V Sangha president, who is also the eighth pontiff of the Sharanabasaveshwara Samsthan.<br /><br />“What is surprising is that the staffers, including principals, are not aware of the existence of health centres. It appears the heath centres are a ploy for colleges to garner UGC grants,” the report said. <br /><br />Unhealthy centres<br /><br />The buildings supposed to be housing the health centres are anything but health centres.<br /><br />The story is no different in the case of girls’ hostel buildings. <br /><br />The principals of S B Science College, Godutai Doddappa Arts and Commerce College for Women, S S Khuba Arts and Science College, Basavakalyan had secured grants for constructing girls’ hostels. <br /><br />The inquiry has found that there is no match between the approved plan and the actual buildings; records of ownership and construction permission from competent authorities are not available. <br /><br />Though the hostels have been constructed for aided colleges, they are occupied by students of unaided colleges. An unaided school is being run out of an hostel building in Basavakalyan. It has been found that there is no transparency in the purchase of lab equipment, journals, award of contracts. Also, no proper accounts have been maintained.</p>
<p>The Department of Collegiate Education has stumbled upon gross misuse of grants, amounting to Rs 1.6 crore, provided by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to five aided degree colleges run by the Sharanabasaveshwara Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Gulbarga and Bidar districts. <br /></p>.<p>The department is awaiting further orders from the government to initiate action against the managements of the erring colleges.<br /><br />The misuse of funds relates to construction of health centres and girls’ hostels in the 10th and th plans, for which the UGC had given liberal grants. The colleges facing action are S B Arts College, S B Science College, S B Commerce College, Godutai Arts and Science College for Women (all in Gulbarga), and S S Khuba Arts and Science College of Basavakalyan in Bidar district. <br /><br />Out of the total grants, Rs 29.17 lakh was meant for the construction of health centres and Rs 1.31 crore for the construction of hostel buildings for girls. The inquiry by the Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Gulbarga, follows the matter being raised by Basavaraj Horatti, former primary and secondary education minister, in the Legislative Council recently.<br /><br />The inquiry report, a copy of which is in the possession of Deccan Herald, makes startling revelations regarding blatant misuse of UGC grants. <br /><br />A surprise visit and inspection by the authorities revealed that none of the four health centres existed. <br /><br />All the four colleges are located within a radius of one km to 1.5 km. The principals of these colleges had obtained huge grants for construction of health centres for students. But, as the report pointed out, the principals themselves are not aware of the existence of any health centre. <br /><br />In pontiff’s control<br /><br />The funds are under the control of Sharanabasavappa Appa, the S V Sangha president, who is also the eighth pontiff of the Sharanabasaveshwara Samsthan.<br /><br />“What is surprising is that the staffers, including principals, are not aware of the existence of health centres. It appears the heath centres are a ploy for colleges to garner UGC grants,” the report said. <br /><br />Unhealthy centres<br /><br />The buildings supposed to be housing the health centres are anything but health centres.<br /><br />The story is no different in the case of girls’ hostel buildings. <br /><br />The principals of S B Science College, Godutai Doddappa Arts and Commerce College for Women, S S Khuba Arts and Science College, Basavakalyan had secured grants for constructing girls’ hostels. <br /><br />The inquiry has found that there is no match between the approved plan and the actual buildings; records of ownership and construction permission from competent authorities are not available. <br /><br />Though the hostels have been constructed for aided colleges, they are occupied by students of unaided colleges. An unaided school is being run out of an hostel building in Basavakalyan. It has been found that there is no transparency in the purchase of lab equipment, journals, award of contracts. Also, no proper accounts have been maintained.</p>
