Cash-strapped Punjabi University seeks Rs 100 cr increase in annual grant

Tribune News Service

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, December 9

Awaiting a loan waiver of Rs 150 crore since the Chief Minister’s visit in March, cash-strapped Punjabi University is now looking forward to an increase of Rs 100 crore in the annual grant from the state government. The university raised the demand with the government after its expenditure on salaries increased by nearly Rs 100 crore after the implementation of new pay scales for employees.

CM Bhagwant Mann is expected to visit the university during the inter-university youth festival on Monday. University officials said they were hopeful that the state government would provide the university a breather in view of the increased expenditure.

Govt had accepted request

The government had accepted our request of converting the Rs 50 crore non-salary grants to salary components. We hope it will be done soon. We are also expecting a waiver of Rs 150 crore bank loans. —Navjot Kaur, Registrar, Punjabi University

The university has been spending Rs 360 crore on salaries annually. But with implementation of the new pay scales for both teaching and non-teaching employees, the expenditure has shot up by over Rs 8.25 crore per month (around Rs 100 crore per year).

University Registrar Navjot Kaur said, “We have demanded an increase of Rs 100 crore in the annual grant from the state government. The request was made during recent meetings with the officials.”

On the other hand, the government in this year’s fiscal budget had announced Rs 150 crore salary grants and Rs 50 crore non-salary grants for the university. It is yet to convert the non-salary grant to salary component, despite assurances.

Also, the CM during his previous visit said the university would be made debt-free. But eight months later, the university’s bank loan stands unpaid. All the more, it is incurring interest of Rs 1.50 crore per month on the loan.

The Registrar said, “The government had accepted our request of converting the Rs 50 crore non-salary grants to salary components. We hope it will be done soon. We are also expecting a waiver of Rs 150 crore bank loans.” She said the university had curtailed its expenditures as well.

Insiders said the university had not paid the employees’ salaries for the months of October and November, and could soon invite protests.

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