A meeting of Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today examined CAG’s audit report of Higher Education Department.Held under the chairmanship of MLA, Mohammad Akbar Lone, the meeting had a threadbare discussion on CAG’s Audit Paras regarding functioning of Jammu University, monitoring of research programmes and financial management besides other activities of Higher Education Department.Legislators, Aijaz Ahmed Khan and Mohammad Yousuf Bhat attended the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions for improving the functioning of the department.The Committee directed for filling all vacant posts of faculty members in Jammu University, Colleges and Higher Secondary Schools so that the functioning of these institutions don’tsuffer. The members also directed to explore the possibilities of offering a wide range of higher education courses in all district campuses.
Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Dr Asgar Samoon briefed the Committee about the action taken on CAGs audit para pertaining to the department. He suggested for starting more courses in private B. Ed Colleges so that these institutes function properly. Dr Samoon also explained the steps taken for up-grading Jammu University and Colleges to quality of education and research and imparting result oriented education to the students so they can meet the expectations of the society.The Committee directed the higher authorities of Jammu University to submit a comprehensive status report regarding audit paras pertaining to them and furnish the same to the Committee for its perusal.Deputy Accountant General, Audit, V K Bakshi also briefed the Committee about the observations pointed out in the CAG report pertaining to the Higher Education Department.After satisfactory reply by the department, the Committee decided that to drop the audit paras pertaining.The meeting was also attended by Registrar, Jammu University, Meenakshi Kilam, Financial Advisor, Kulbushan Kumar, besides Special Secretary Assembly, R L Sharma and other senior officers of concerned department and Assembly Secretariat.