PU asks Markfed for special discounts

Panjab University has left no stone unturned to find reasons and justifications in support of their requests for funds and concessions regarding cheaper meals for hostel residents. University authorities,in a bid to procure subsidised food items for hostel residents,requested discounts on food items to the marketing federation-Punjab Markfed. University authorities said that as the food items will be consumed by students who are from Punjab,the federation should offer discounts over and above the subsidised rates charged from the dealers.

“We have asked Markfed to give special discounts on the food items like wheat flour,oil and other edibles that will be used in preparing meals for hostel residents who are from Punjab. Though at the moment,they have not communicated any confirmation on this request,they have assured that no delivery charges will be levied from the mess contractors for delivering the items to the hostels,” said the Dean Students’ Welfare Prof A S Ahluwalia.

The request was made on behalf of university mess contractors in order to assure them maintaining similar margins even after a lesser hike in diet charges and higher input costs and inflation. Mess contractors were demanding a higher increase in the meal charges,as much as Rs 6 per meal. University authorities,however,increased charges by Rs 2 per meal.

“Increasing meal charges by Rs 6 was not feasible or justified. Mess contractors had tried to get the supply from Markfed,but it did not work out to be feasible for the contractors as they claimed of getting better quality product at cheaper rates from the market. Now,since the hike in charges,the contractors have been warned about quality assurance. They have been asked to get the supply from Markfed,” added Prof Ahluwalia.

A committee headed by the university dietician,including members like research scholars,Students’ Council representative and hostel warden,are also to be constituted to keep a check on the quality of food items to be served in the hostels. Apart from this,every worker working in the mess will be required to take extra hygiene precautions like wearing gloves and covering their heads.