Rs 5 cr grant to foster autonomy of Delhi govt-funded universities: Sisodia

The vice-chancellors of the Delhi government-funded universities will soon be able to carry out works that cost up to Rs five crore, a move which Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia described as a "major reform" to ensure "autonomy" of these institutions.

An official said that Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, has written to the department directing it to ensure immediate delegation of power.

The official said that VCs of these universities earlier did not have such financial powers and they were dependent on the government for sanction of works that they might need to undertake on an urgent basis.

Delhi Technological University and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University are among the universities that are fully funded by the Delhi government.

"This is a major reform for ensuring the autonomy of universities funded by the Government of NCR of Delhi. The vice-chancellors of the universities can now take up new works up to Rs five crore.

"Further, for repair and maintenance, they will have full financial powers, if it is carried out through PWD," Sisodia said in a written communication to the finance department.

He also said that if some other agency performs the repair and maintenance, it is allowed up to Rs one crore per annum.

"The department should ensure immediate implementation of this delegation of financial powers," the deputy chief minister also said.