World Bank Country Director for India Junaid Kamal Ahmed has informed the Odisha Government that the bank has agreed to lending funds for improvement of the higher education sector in the State. Ahmed has stated that the proposed funding operation would be under two components such as Higher Education Programme Component of 100 million US dollar and Technical Assistance Component of 19 million US dollar. Altogether, it would be 119 million dollar, which is Rs 804 crore.
Ahmad has said that Odisha Higher Education Pogramme for Excellence and Equity (OHEPEE) would be the first support for the higher education sector by the World Bank in Odisha and would seek to support an overall Government higher education programme through a result-based financing modality.
He said the flow of funds would follow a result-based financial programme.
The State Government was asking for over Rs 1,000 crore for the OHEPEE from the World Bank as the funding under the Centrally-sponsored Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for improvement of higher education is not sufficient.
The RUSA was started in 2014 by the UPA Government to improve quality of the State universities and colleges in the country. Under the RUSA, Odisha was supposed to get over Rs 435 crore for infrastructure development of nine State universities and 127 Government and Government-aided colleges.
The funding under the RUSA is slowing down with the NDA Government at the Centre, said sources. So, the Odisha Government would implement the OHEPEE to improve students’ equitable access to higher education and quality with World Bank support, said sources.
Secondly, the move is to improve the governance and management of the higher education sector in the State. Thirdly, the programme would endeavour to improve the financial management and accounting system in the colleges.
Ahmad has drawn the attention of the State Government to the need to establish an Institutional Developmental Plan (IDP) and Capacity Building Steering Committee, which would be responsible for carrying out hands-on training and capacity building to support the colleges in drafting their IDP.
However, he has advised the State Government to appoint a Project Director for the OHEPEE and key personnel in the Project Management Unit (PMU) Ahmad said that an Aide Memoire has been prepared for lending instrument and proposed activities and results framework.