Govt agrees to provide Rs 30 crore monthly grant to Punjabi University, Patiala

Tribune News Service

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, March 14

The state government will provide Punjabi University Rs 30 crore per month (Rs 360 crore annually) as grant. The university said the decision was conveyed during Vice Chancellor Prof Arvind’s meeting with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Principal Secretary (Finance) and Principal Secretary (Higher Education) held on Monday.

Financial status

• The university had demanded Rs 360 crore as annual grant from government
• According to officials, the university can earn Rs 200 crore from its own sources
• 40% students are from reserved category whose tuition fee is waived
• The university is also pays monthly interest of Rs 1 crore on a Rs 150-crore bank loan

The university said the government had said that it would provide full grant (Rs 30 crore per month) as demanded. The university said it had already sent the bill for the amount due for the first quarter of the year to the government.

However, as the written documentation in this regard is yet to be issued, students, employees and faculty members said they will not end their protest till the state government releases a written document on the matter. “We want the state government to issue a written statement regarding its assurance. The government has issued such statements in the past but failed to release funds. We will continue protest till the government waives university’s bank loan,” they said.

#harpal cheema #Punjabi University Patiala