PU V-C finally comes out in support of central status

Speaking for the first time in support of the central status to the Panjab University...

Speaking for the first time in support of the central status to the Panjab University, Vice-Chancellor Professor R C Sobti told Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil that the central university tag to the PU will help it perform better.

The minister was in the city to lay the foundation stone of PU Medical Research Institute and Hospital at the university south campus, Sector 25.

In his speech, Sobti pleaded that the university should be given the central tag as it has been rated as a five-star institute with Potential for Excellence as one of the top 100 universities in the world.

He added that the Centre should provide the varsity with the deficit amount that the Punjab government has not paid.

Similar views were echoed by Union Minister for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal, who spoke about fund crunch in the university and how various programmes are suffering due to the shortage.

He pleaded that the central assistance is must for the growth and development of such institutions as small support will make a great difference.

Bansal said fund allocation for Chandigarh has been raised from Rs 304 crore to Rs 488 crore with the help of Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance, which has come as a boon for the city residents.

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Patil, however, seemed to have come prepared not to talk about central status. Rather he said: 8220;Your finance minister Pawan Bansal is here, and it is his duty to take care of the financial matters. However, my doors will always remain open to this varsity.8221;

He added that rather than talking about funds, the university should concentrate more on the research and fund-generating ideas. 8220;It is not the paucity of funds but paucity of ideas, which are responsible for degeneration of societies. Universities must cater to the vision relating to the matter, body, mind and spirit.8221;

After laying the foundation stone for the institute, Patil also planted saplings and released Vision-2020, which was prepared by PU students. Patil lauded Bansal for contributing money from his MPLAD Fund for the development of educational and medical facilities.

Source said the hospital, to be spread over 1,20,000 sq. feet, will be built at an approximate cost of Rs 20 crore and will have state-of-the-art building with latest research facilities.