ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: Ministry of Finance on Thursday released Rs4 billion to Higher Education Commission (HEC) due to which recurring budget amount for the first quarter has been completed.

According to sources, Ministry of Finance had to pay Rs12 billion (Rs6 billion recurring and Rs 6 billion for development) to HEC in first quarter which will expire on September 30.

It is worth mentioning that Ministry of Finance had released Rs2 billion of recurring budget, however Rs4 billion was pending.

On Thursday the remaining Rs4 billion which was due in recurring budget of HEC for the first quarter has been completed.

A faculty member of a university requesting not to be identified said: “Now HEC got the recurring budget so scholarships of the students should be paid without any delay.”

“HEC was blaming Ministry of Finance for delay in payment but now Commission should assure that the ongoing education of the students would not suffer because recurring amount is for the scholarships and salaries,” he said.

Media coordinator of HEC, Murtaza Noor while taking to Dawn confirmed that all recurring budget for the first quarter has been received. However, he said that development budget is yet to be paid.