Not the preference of govt to save and run Punjabi University: V-C after ‘budget cut’

“Instead of giving us any relief, the Punjab government has imposed a budget cut on us. Our annual grant has been reduced from Rs 200 crore to Rs 164 crore. With the decision of the government to implement the Pay Commission, our salary bills have already inflated by Rs 100 crore. Inflation and financial losses are other factors we are dealing with. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had promised to bring our university out of debt but with today’s budget allocation, he has created a situation where we might be under new debt soon,” read the university statement.

Prof Arvind said that the university is under debt of Rs 150 crore and continuously reeling under financial losses. “We are not even in condition to pay salaries in time,” he said.

The university statement further read: “With the allocation announced today for the university, in no way we can avoid sinking into another financial crisis. In last year’s Budget, we were given Rs 150 crore as salary grant and Rs 50 crore additional grant. The government had also promised another interim grant, which was never fulfilled. This time we have not been given any additional grant to help us wade through this crisis”.

The AAP government had promised to save and protect this heritage university which is working to preserve Punjabi language and culture, it added.

The statement further said that most students studying in PU come from rural families of Malwa belt, who are affected by agricultural distress and debt and thus are given fee concessions. “Most of them are underprivileged, including Dalits and women who cannot afford to study in private institutions. Compared to other colleges, we offer them studies almost at half rates. Nearly 2.15 lakh students study in 290 colleges associated with the university,” read the statement.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Prof Arvind said: “If AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann really feels and claims that it is committed to saving PU Patiala, they should at least give us Rs 300 crore seeing our salary bills and other expenses.”