Punjabi University deducts 10% HRA of college employees, PUTA raises concern

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 9

Punjabi University has reduced 10 per cent house rent allowance (HRA) of employees at Yadavindra College of Engineering, Talwandi Sabo. The newly-formed Punjabi University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) today raised concern over the matter calling it an unwarranted act and threatened to launch an agitation against it.

The PUTA members said the decision to deduct 10 per cent HRA of the employees by terming Bathinda city as its head-quarters has been taken despite a Syndicate decision. In a press release, the PUTA members said, “The decision represented a dictatorial and biased attitude of the university authorities. It depicts that the administration is over and above the syndicate and can implement or enforce any unwarranted decision,” they said.

The university has received a formal word from the state government regarding the same that directed it to deduct the excessive amount.

The PUTA members and representatives of the college also held a meeting with the University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr BS Ghuman and expressed displeasure that the employees of the University regional centres and neighbourhood campuses had been experiencing discrimination in various matters, including deputation on election duties and not issuing permanent entry stickers for their vehicles. President of the PUTA Dr Bhupinder Singh Virk said, “We met the VC but there was no solution to the matter.”

The PUTA members said they wanted the university to roll back the decision and deposit the curtailed HRA in the accounts of the employees. 

Meanwhile, Registrar Dr Manjit Singh Nijjar and Finance Officer Dr Rakesh Kumar were not available for comment.