RUSA Fund Misutilisation: 3 Odisha Varsities Served Notices

Bhubaneswar: The State Higher Education Department has served notices to Vice-Chancellors of three universities of Odisha in connection with the alleged misutlisation of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) funds.

RUSA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) launched in 2013, which aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. Three institutions in Odisha- Utkal University, Ramadevi Women's University and Ravenshaw University, were granted funds by RUSA for infrastructure development. However, it has been found that these three varsities have either misutilised the infrastructure grant or if utilised, it is being done at a very slow pace.

A team formed by the HE department provided a report in this connection following an inspection. Based on the report, the department has reportedly served notices to the VCs of these three varsities along with R&B Chief Engineer seeking a reply over the utilisation of RUSA grants.