A delegation of Human Chain, a non-government organization (NGO) meets the Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Mr. Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi with the demand of immediate release of Rs. 100 crore fund for Kishanganj Centre of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The delegation led by Human Chain President Engineer Mohammad Aslam was accompanied by NCPUL Director Prof. Irteza Karim and NGO members Mohammad Tauqueer Alam, Nawed Shamshi, Naseem Haidar, Mujahid Akhtar, Sameer Humayun and many others.
Providing details about the meeting, Mr. Aslam said a memorandum was submitted with the demand of release of immediate fund of Rs. 100 crore for off-campus centre of AMU at Kishanganj. The memorandum says, “we would like to draw your kind attention that UPA – II government had sanctioned Rs. 136.02 crores for Aligarh Muslim University – Kishanganj Centre, but did not released the fund during their tenure. Fund allocation of 10 crores was done by NDA government on December 3, 2015 which has been spent on various accounts. The centre is struggling for fun, due to lack of fund staffs are not getting salary, no construction work is going on, and classes are held in minority hostel instead of main campus. We, therefore, unanimously request you to release fund of Rs. 100 crores on urgent basis, so that teaching and non-teaching staffs would get salary on time, infrastructural development work could be started and classes could be held in main campus.”
Expressing his happiness over the meeting, Mr. Aslam said that the meeting was satisfactory as the Minister of HRD had keenly listened to the grievances of the delegation about the dismal condition of the Centre. Mr. Javadekhar has assured that his ministry will look into the facts and issues related to AMU Kishanganj Centre in order to release fund.
In response to the meeting of Human Chain delegation with HRD Minister, Md. Mudassir Alam, an AMU alumni and Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) said that this an encouraging development regarding the fund-hit AMU off-campus centre. In fact, the AMU Kishanganj Centre is a big hope for the educationally backward region of Seemanchal in Bihar, but since its announcement by the UPA – I government in 2008, the off-campus centre is facing issues. If the Centre government releases Rs. 100 crore and more, AMU Kishanganj Centre may get established as a good option for higher education in the north-eastern part of Bihar and adjoining states, mentioned Mudassir.
It should be noted that AMU Kishanganj Centre project has repeatedly hung in balance over lack of fund and other related issues. Announced in 2008-09 by UPA I government’s Minister of Human Resources and Development Arjun Singh, the special centre has raised the hopes of educationally and economically backward district of Kishanganj and adjoining areas. Even 10 years after the announcement the people of this backward region of Bihar are impatiently waiting about the existence of full-fledged campus of AMU at Kishanganj, which is in bad shape due to lack of fund.
