Monthly grant rule puts PGIMS Rohtak under strain; delays salaries, payments

The Haryana government’s decision to enforce monthly withdrawal of grant-in-aid for Pt BD Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak (UHSR), has placed the administration under severe financial pressure, delaying salaries and disrupting routine expenditure across the health university and its constituent institutions, including PGIMS.

According to sources, the shift in the grant mechanism has started affecting the functioning of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), the Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, the College of Nursing and other paramedical colleges. “More than 5,000 employees, including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and administrative personnel are working across the university and its constituent bodies. Employees hired through HKRN and outsourced agencies are also part of this workforce. The state government allocates over Rs 800 crore annually to UHSR as grant-in-aid to meet salary commitments and operational expenditures,” said the sources.

Sources explained that the funding pattern has undergone multiple changes over the past two years. Earlier, UHSR received its grant-in-aid in two instalments of 60% and 40% until June 30, 2022. From July 1, 2022, the system shifted to quarterly sanctions of 25%, 20%, 25% and 30%. “Recently, the state government has mandated that although grants will continue to be sanctioned quarterly, the actual withdrawal must be done on a monthly basis. This has created significant operational challenges. The month-wise withdrawal restriction has disrupted smooth fund flow, making it difficult to ensure timely disbursement of salaries, release funds to constituent institutes, and clear vendor payments. Timely financial management is being hampered,” the sources said.

While salaries were earlier credited at the beginning of each month, employees are now receiving them much later, leading to discontent among staff across PGIMS and other institutions. Essential expenditure for day-to-day functioning is also being delayed, further aggravating operational bottlenecks.

The issue was brought up in the recent Executive Council (EC) meeting, where the university administration sought relief from the mounting financial strain. “The financial strain compelled the university authorities to raise the issue in the recent Executive Council (EC) meeting, seeking a long-term solution. The EC has decided to request the state government to restore the quarterly release of grant-in-aid to prevent further delays in salaries and payments,” the sources added.

UHSR Vice-Chancellor Prof HK Aggarwal confirmed the adverse impact of the delayed fund release. He said the university would approach the state government as per the EC’s decision. He acknowledged the situation, stating that the new withdrawal system had affected PGIMS and other constituent bodies and that reinstating the earlier quarterly system was essential for restoring financial stability.