Morung Express News
Kohima | January 13
THE NAGALAND University Teachers Association, Kohima (NUTAK) has strongly resented what it said were financial irregularities and mismanagement in Nagaland University under the Vice Chancellorship of Professor GD Sharma.
“It has been revealed that the Ministry of Human Resource Development has granted an Indian Institute of Management to be set up in Nagaland University, for which the Ministry has sanctioned several crores of rupees and the funds have been drawn by the University authority a long time ago. Till date, no such institute has been set up in the State, nor posts advertised for the same” maintained the Association while appealing to the President of India to intervene. The President is the Visitor to the University.
NUTAK informed that a memorandum has been submitted to the President of India, seeking immediate attention on financial irregularities and mismanagement. It also demanded that the Visitor “should immediately take cognizance of these developments and initiate immediate action to bring transparency and accountability in this furthermost central university in the country, before the whole university system is destroyed.”
It also lamented that the Centre for Women Studies in Kohima Campus which was approved and funds sanctioned for the centre in 2003 by the UGC, has already been drawn by the university authorities, without setting up the Centre till date, in spite of repeated requests.
As per the latest report of the Finance Committee Meeting held on January 6 at Lumami, Rs 21 crores worth of assets in Nagaland University were “Untraceable”, the NUTAK alleged.
“All these stark evidences speak volumes of the financial irregularities and mismanagement in Nagaland University” said its President Rosemary Dzuvichu and General Secretary Ben Lotha.
The Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has stated that if funds in universities are saved in banks and unutilized for the specific purpose, within the stipulated time, such funds are liable to be returned to the central government, it quoted a source.
“In such an event, the Association hereby states that the Vice Chancellor and university officials involved in manipulations of finance will be held responsible to the people of the state of Nagaland,” it said.
The Association also expressed deep disappointment with the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, which it said “has been neglecting genuine demands of the teaching associations for transparency and accountability in Nagaland University for the past four years.
“The biased report of the UGC Fact Finding team which visited Nagaland University, based on the white papers on irregularities in appointments and financial mismanagement has been sent back two months ago by the MHRD for a review and clarification. The inordinate delay and manipulation is clear proof of the lack of credibility and accountability in the UGC system, as all documentary evidences was submitted to the three member UGC Fact Finding team when they visited the University,” it said.
The Association also questioned the attitude of the central government and the UGC towards problems faced by the Northeastern universities and Nagaland University in particular.
