Parliament Question: Funds for Infrastructure Development in HEI in Darjeeling and Kalimpong

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3819 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 Funds for Infrastructure Development in HEI in Darjeeling and Kalimpong

3819. Shri Raju Bista:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the number of colleges and higher education institutions in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts receiving Central assistance;

(b) the total funds allocated and released for infrastructure development and academic improvement since 2019; and

(c) whether the Government proposes to establish new colleges, model degree colleges or skill universities in the said region and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c): Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility of both the Central and State Governments. However, recognizing the need for central assistance, the Department of Higher Education, Government of India, is implementing Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges, so as to improve their quality by ensuring their conformity to prescribed norms and standards.

The government launched the third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

(RUSA) in June 2023 in the form of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM- USHA), with an outlay of Rs. 12,926.10 crore, including the committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. West Bengal has not signed MOU for implementation of PM-USHA till date.

Under RUSA, a total of 206 units have been approved support in the State of West Bengal for a total amount of Rs. 903.45 crore under various components of the scheme. These include 4 units in Darjeeling district viz. ‘Shree Ramakrishna B.T.

College’, ‘Southfield College Formerly Loreto College Darjeeling’, ‘St. Josephs College’ and ‘University of North Bengal’; and 1 unit i.e., ‘Kalimpong College’ in Kalimpong district; which have been approved a total support of Rs. 28 crore underthe ‘Infrastructure Grants to Strengthen Colleges’ & ‘Infrastructure Grants to Strengthen Universities’ components of RUSA.

Furthermore, during the last 6 years i.e., from 2019-20 & the current FY 2025-26, a total Central share of Rs. 78.06 crore has been released to West Bengal state as a whole.

Moreover, under the scheme, there is a provision for the establishment of degree colleges/professional colleges under the ‘New Model Degree Colleges’/’New Colleges (Professional & Technical)’ components in the States/UTs. In this regard, it is stated that 2 units namely ‘Govt. Engineering College, Cooch Behar’ and ‘Govt. Engineering College, Alipurduar’ have been approved support under the ‘New Colleges (Professional & Technical)’ component of RUSA, for a total amount of Rs. 52 crore in the State.

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