HEC to Receive Rs. 59 Billion+ for Nationwide Projects

The federal government has made the decision to allocate Rs. 59.7 billion in funding to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for a range of countrywide projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2023-24.

HEC to Receive Rs. 59 Billion+ for Nationwide Projects

Official documents obtained by ProPakistani reveal that HEC will oversee various projects with a total approved cost of over Rs. 406 billion. Looking ahead to the upcoming fiscal year, the government is expected to allocate Rs. 59.7 billion specifically for HEC.

Currently, HEC is managing a total of 165 projects, consisting of 26 new schemes and 139 ongoing initiatives. Among the new schemes are the development of the National Centre for Quantum Computing, the National Center for Manufacturing, the National Center for Brand Development, the Institute of Sports, the National Growth Center, the National Center for Nanotechnology, and several other projects.

Additionally, plans are underway to establish a new campus of Lahore College for Women University in Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore, with an approved cost of Rs. 1.77 billion. It is anticipated that Rs. 100 million will be allocated in the upcoming PSDP for the year 2023-24.

Furthermore, the construction of the Institute of Science and Technology in Bahawalpur, with an approved cost of Rs. 2.2 billion, is currently in progress, and an expected allocation of Rs. 300 million is planned for the upcoming fiscal year.

Moreover, HEC will receive Rs. 600 million for the establishment of the National Cyber Security Academy, with Rs. 150 million granted in the PSDP for 2023-24. The federal government is also set to allocate Rs. 500 million to enhance academic facilities at NED University Karachi.

A scholarship program for students from Gilgit-Baltistan, with an approved cost of Rs. 648.676 million, is also on the agenda, with Rs. 120.8 million to be granted in the next fiscal year.

Apart from these projects, HEC is actively working on various other initiatives, including the improvement of infrastructure in existing educational institutes and the launch of scholarship programs targeting underprivileged regions.