Government HEC programmes receive Rs59.7 billion in the 2023-24 budget.
HEC
HEC programmes would receive a total of Rs59.7 billion from the government’s budget for 2023–2024.Current programmes will receive 52.8 billion rupees, while new programmes will receive 6.9 billion rupees.Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the Higher Education Commission (HEC) will get a total of Rs59.7 billion from the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which was unveiled on Friday by the Minister of Finance, Ishaq Dar. This sum will be used to fund both existing and new initiatives.It has been estimated that continuing projects will receive around 52.8 billion rupees, while new schemes will receive approximately 6.9 billion rupees.
ongoing schemes
Among the ongoing schemes, Rs1.5 billion has been allocated for the Award of Allama Muhammad Iqbal 3,000 Scholarships to Afghan students (PM’s Directive). Additionally, Rs500 million has been allocated for the development of the Main Campus Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, and Rs500 million has been allocated for the development of the University of Buner in Swari (Phase-I).In addition, the Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Centre for Basic Sciences would receive Rs500 million, and the University College at Zhob (BUITEMS) will receive Rs500 million (both of these amounts are subject to change).
HEC-USAID
The Fulbright Scholarships Support Programme HEC-USAID (Phase-III) and the Innovative Centre and Software Park at the University of Engineering & Technology Sub Campus Lahore (Revised) have also been allocated Rs1 billion each.In addition to this, the government has allotted Rs3.23 billion for the Overseas Scholarship for MS/M.Phil leading to PhD in certain subjects (Phase III)-HEC.In the context of the Pak-US Knowledge Corridor (Phase-I)-(Revised), a sizeable sum of Rs3 billion has been designated for the Ph.D. Scholarship Programme; in contrast, Rs800 million has been set aside for the Strengthening and Expansion of the University of Gujrat (UN) and Allied Campuses (Revised).
Core Network and Expansion
In addition, the government has allotted Rs740.902 million for the purpose of strengthening the Core Network and Expansion of PERN footprints through CPEC Optical Fibre (PERN-III)-HEC, as well as Rs1.5 billion for the purpose of constructing the National Sports City (NSC) at Narowal.New schemesThe government has allotted Rs1.2 billion for the improvement of lab facilities in five renowned engineering universities (UET Peshawar, Taxila, Lahore, Khuzdar, and NED Karachi). These universities include UET Peshawar, Taxila, Lahore, and Khuzdar.In addition, Rs500 million has been allocated for the purpose of strengthening academic facilities at NED University of Engineering & Technology in Karachi and giving students from Balochistan and tribal areas with opportunities for higher education (Phase-III). Both of these initiatives will take place in Karachi.The establishment of an Institute of Sports would also receive Rs500 million in funding as part of this budgetary allotment.
