BAHAWALPUR; Taking notice of over a decade-long delay in the completion of the building of the Government Medical College, Bahawalnagar, due to unavailability of funds, Commissioner Ms Musarrat Jabeen has recommended to the specialised healthcare and medical education department for the inclusion of this mega project in the current Annual Development Programme (ADP), through a supplementary grant, or in the next one (of 2025-26).

Dawn has learnt that the project for the construction of the medical college building was launched in 2014 with an estimated cost of Rs1,726.798 million.

Afterwards, funds amounting to Rs652 million were spent on the project till June 2014, on constructing the grey structures of the college`s main building and the attached residences of the medical officers (MOs), besides some other buildings at the site.

However, afterwards the work on the project was suspended and no governmentfunds were issued for the purpose since then, depriving the south Punjab region`s students an opportunity to get medical education near their native areas.

Sources say that the previous divisional administrations had also been taking up the issue of release of more funds for the completion of the project with the relevant government quarters, but to no avail, resulting in further delay.During a recent visit to the college site, Commissioner Ms Musarrat Jabeen, expressed her concern over the project left incomplete as millions of rupees funds already spent on it are being wasted.

She told Dawn that the medical college project comprised construction of academic block, hostels, medical officers` (MOs) residences.

She said the external work on the project, except the mainacademic block and girl`s hostel, has reached up to the finishing stage.

She added that the construction of academic block was mandatory to make the project functional.

She said that the government has been requested to consider release of funds for the project, either from current ADP, through a supplementary grant, or include it in the upcoming (2025-26) ADP sothat the college buildings could be completed and the institution become functional by next year. She added that one of the boys` hostels building was near completion and with some necessary modifications may accommodate students from other cities.

Meanwhile, the commissioner, during her visit to the International Lal Sohanra Park on Friday, directed the Forest Conservator Imran Sattar to pay special attention to the maintenance of the flora and fauna and protection and breeding of wildlife, particularly black bucks, to attract more visitors from across the country and abroad.

VC`s CHARGE EXTENDED: The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has extended the additional charge of the IUB Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran of the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (MNS) University of Engineering & Technology (UET), Multan, for a period of three months or till the appointment of a regular incumbent, which may be earlier.

In this connection, HED has issued a notification (No SO(Univ.) 4-2/2020) on Friday.