A first: PUCSC gives expenditure details

Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 4

Keeping its promise of transparency, Students for Society (SFS), a Left-wing student political party at Panjab University (PU), released the details of expenditure incurred by it in the academic year 2018-19.

It is for the first time that a student party made public the list of funds used by it. The SFS has posted a copious note on its Facebook page.

Listing the total funds of Rs 35,80,000 allocated to the council, comprising president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary, the party stated a sum of Rs 20,50,000 was given to the cultural head while Rs 4 lakh was spent on ‘Vimarsh’, Rs 4.5 lakh on ‘Scitron’ and Rs 4.3 lakh on tours. In addition, Rs 2.5 lakh were billed for ‘kavi sammelan’.

Authorised by the VC office, these funds were allocated by the office of the Dean Students’ Welfare to the office-bearers. The council funds are utilised in two ways. First, expenditure incurred by the post bearer from the advance collected through the DSW office or out of her/his own pocket. Bills are submitted with the Dean’s office and amount left out of the advance is deposited back or reimbursement is sought in the other case. Secondly, expenditure is incurred by the Dean office through tenders or purchases made directly from the market where DSW’s office reimburse it.

PUCSC president Kanupriya, in the Facebook post, revealed that the Rs 1,43,206 were spent on ‘Aaghaz’ under the cultural head. The expenditure was incurred by the council president’s office. For a tour to Jallianwala Bagh, the council president’s office had collected Rs 86,100 from a total of 861 students. The tour cost the council Rs 86,000.

Follow suit, SFS tells former office-bearers

The Facebook note posted by the SFS asks former office-bearers of the PUCSC to place their records in the open. They also took students on tour to various places. They took money from students and applied for reimbursement of travelling charges with DSW office, the note alleged. Such corrupt practice was being followed in the council where a number of student organisations has remained a part.