PU set to okay student-friendly budget

At the Board of Finance meeting scheduled on Wednesday,the members would be approving a proposal to allocate Rs 25 lakh in the annual budget as financial assistance for encouraging students to come up with innovative work. As its students have been undertaking various projects from various streams which are at times recognised,the University has decided to encourage original and innovative work among them. “The modalities of selection of the project and awarding of the amount to students would be finalised soon and the scheme would be implemented from the new academic session,” revealed a Board member.

Among the other new projects,a community center would come up in the south campus. Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for it along with Rs 3 crore for creating ‘common facilities’ for students in the south campus only. This would include a reading room with all modern infrastructure as well as a cafeteria. The south campus houses institutes like UIET,UIAMS and the Dental Institute.

For sports students,an astro-turf would be set up for the hockey ground with a provision of Rs 3 crore. There would also be a separate Alumni House building,in addition to the existing office in the south campus.

Rs 1 crore has been provided for this. As a part of the Community Development Programme,PU would be coming up with an old age house. The provision of Rs 2 crore is a part of the annual budget this year.

Panjab University would also have its first technology incubator centre. The annual budget has a provision of Rs 2 crore for establishing this centre. This would cater not only to the students but also to industry — the world-class testing facilities this would be accessible to both.

In a new venture,PU would be outsourcing security,cleanliness,horticulture and other related services in hostels. The project would be initiated with three hostels next year. It would be implemented at boys’ hostel number 7,8 and girls’ hostel number 9. Boys’ hostel number 8 and girls’ hostel number 9 are the new hostels in the south campus. At present,these are serviced either by regular employees or those on daily wages.