Guru Angad Dev Vet University grapples with fund shortage
After agriculture, livestock plays an important role in Punjab’s economy and more and more research and development is required in this sector to fully explore its potential. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Gadvasu) plays an important role in this regard, but sadly this premier research institute is grappling with acute shortage of funds to maintain adequate staff and conduct quality research.
This fact came forward in the Punjab Agriculture Policy draft, according to which, at the veterinary university 41 per cent of the teaching (scientists) posts are lying vacant. Of the total 426 teaching positions, only 250 are filled. As far as supporting staff is concerned, 61 per cent posts are yet to be filled as the university has employed a staff of 481 against a sanctioned strength of 1,218.
The policy draft further says that the veterinary university needs Rs 113 crore to cover salaries of the existing staff in 2023-24, but it received only Rs 81 crore. To manage salaries of staff, the veterinary university will need Rs 258 crore for the year and in addition to this, to meet the expenses for research, education and extension activities, it needs Rs 40 crore. The draft also mentioned that for building new infrastructure, maintenance and upgrading of laboratories and faculty facilities, the university required a one-time grant of Rs 300 crore.
The policy recommended that the budgetary allocation and its release to the agriculture and veterinary universities should come directly from the Department of Finance, rather than the Departments of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare and Animal Husbandry, the departments looking after funding in the two universities, respectively.
Gadvasu VC Jatinder Paul Singh Gill said the university needed more funds and staff to balance academics, research and extension activities. “Despite receiving only 0.31 per cent of the state’s total budget allocation, livestock contributes a staggering 40 per cent to Punjab’s agricultural gross value added (GVA). The surprising factor is that this has been achieved with minimal government subsidies. Although the state government is laying stress on diversification to come out of the circle of wheat and paddy, in such a scenario, livestock can play a major role and the government needs to divert little attention towards this sector as it has enormous potential for economic development,” he said.
“Gadvasu plays an important role in academic, research and extension and all three activities have an important role. Research is important and equally important are extension activities. What will be the use of research if we can’t disseminate the information among the farmers and other beneficiaries?” he said.
The VC added that with the present staff strength, the university was finding it difficult to even keep the academic and research activities running and it was becoming difficult to engage staff for the extension activities. The government should earmark a specific amount for research every year to smoothen the research activities, he said. With the Budget to be announced on February 1, the university is hoping for some grants-in-aid.
