With a view to promoting research and self-employment, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has directed education department officials to initiate necessary measures in this regard.

"The universities should not confine themselves to holding examinations and providing affiliations, instead they should utilise available resources in running programmes related to research and self-employment," she said at a meeting with senior officers of various departments yesterday.

She said parameters should be fixed to improve the quality of secondary education.

Mayawati also said there was a need for an act to provide for setting up of universities in private sector.

Referring to shortage of irrigation water, she said desilting of canals should be completed before Rabi sowing.

She said that to expedite the construction work on various projects, certain tasks could be outsourced and favoured e-tendering to check mafia interference.

She ordered that explanation should be sought from departments which have so far spent only 25 to 30% of the funds allocated to them in the budget.

She also took a serious note of less realisation of revenue by Stamps, Tax and Registration department.

On the poor revenue collection by the transport department, she suggested identification of new bus routes to generate more income.

The chief minister said relief and rehabilitation works should be speeded up in flood-hit areas and added that an action plan should be chalked out to prevent floods.