By TCN Staff Reporter
The Malappuram centre of the Aligarh Muslim University welcomed the new year on a positive note, receiving a funding of Rs 22.5 crore from the Ministry of Human Resource and Development to help the centre get a much-awaited facelift.
The construction of the academic block will take off after remaining in cold storage owing to the delay in disbursing funds. The amount includes a UGC grant of Rs 15 crore and repayment of Rs 7.5 crore, which was shifted to the accounts of AMU Kishanganj and Murshidabad on a temporary basis.
Centre director Dr. H Abdul Azeez expressed happiness at receiving funds. “The fund would be utilised for constructing the proposed academic block. When the academic block is completed we will be able shift the Law, Education and Management departments, which are currently functioning in temporary buildings, to the block. Besides, it will enhance our mission to develop the centre into a full- fledged university by 2020,” the director told Twocircles.net.
According to him, a six-storey building will be constructed in the centre. The works have been entrusted to Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which will soon invite tenders.
Exuding confidence in completing the construction of the building within a year, Azeez said that the CPWD had agreed that they would give prime priority to the demands of the centre. AMU has deputed a special consulting officer in order to ensure the time-bound completion of the new block.
The disbursal follows the efforts taken up by IUML MPs E T Mohammed Basheer and E Ahmed and AMU Vice Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah. The trio had recently met President Pranab Mukherjee and UGC chairman Prof. Ved Prakash demanding steps to enhance the fund disbursal for AMU Malappuram centre.
Meanwhile, the State Government and AMU authorities have decided to seek more funds from UGC and steps from MHRD to start schools with Malappuram centre.
Raising these two demands, a delegation, which includes Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamkuzhy Ali, IUML MPs E T Mohammed Basheer and E Ahmed, along with AMU vice chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah, will meet the HRD Minister in New Delhi on January 8. The delegation will, according to Abdul Azeez, seek immediate release of Rs 75 crore to help the centre improve its academic standard.