PUTA urges Syndicate to hold special session

Patiala, January 17

The Punjabi University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) has written to Syndicate members to conduct a special session and discuss steps to take the varsity out of financial crisis.

The PUTA members said the university has paid 12 per cent interest to State Bank of India. They said overall income of the varsity has declined from from Rs 445 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 409 crore in 2017-18. The university had received a special grant of Rs 147 crore from the state government in 2018-19.

The PUTA members highlighted that the university has failed to deposit salary of staff, pensions and honorarium.

“Enhanced salary (promotional increment) and consequential arrears of faculty promoted during the past couple of years is pending,” said the members.

They raised the matter of departments’ inability to spend from their contingent provisions due shortage of funds, delay in payment of guest faculty, part-time staff and poor infrastructure.

Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, president, PUTA, said, “Expenditure for 2019-2020 consists of liability of over-draft equivalent to Rs 130 crore. According to budget, the estimated deficit of Rs 372.64 crore for 2019-2020 is more than the estimated income of Rs 344.65 crore during the same year.”

Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof BS Ghuman said, “It is good that the PUTA members have shown concern towards fiscal health of the university. The state government’s budget is in the making and we have forwarded our proposal. We are hopeful that the government will bail out the university.” — TNS