No immediate financial relief for Punjabi University-Finance Minister
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
“We will look into all the demands of Punjabi university in the upcoming state budget. The university has to wait for next three months. What the previous government has done, committed we don’t know. We will look into their demands in the state’s budget to be presented after three months”. These were the answer of the state finance minister Harpal Cheema on the question raised by royalpatiala.in on the Punjabi university financial condition after the press conference at Chandigarh.
Today, state finance minister Harpal Cheema held a press conference at the party headquarters at Chandigarh to raise their resentment over the dictatorial anti-Punjab decisions taken by the BJP led centre government.
After the press conference, royalpatiala.in asked the state finance minister to give their view, status on the 150 cr debt waiver and 20 cr per month grant announced by the Channi led congress government to the Punjabi university, as the university is going to present their deficit budget on Monday 29,2022 (tomorrow). The finance department of the state government is using the dilly delaying tactics in releasing the announced grant.”
On this finance minister Cheema said “I had just taken over as the state finance minister. I don’t know, what the previous government has done, committed. We will look into all the pending demands of Punjabi university in our budget. The university has to wait for next three months. “
As per the available information, the university has an overdraft of Rs 150 cr and is paying a handsome amount as interest (around 1.8 cr) over this. The financial condition of the university is worsening day by day.
Tomorrow, on March 29, 2022 Punjabi university is going to pass Rs 206 crore deficit annual budget for the next fiscal year with a widening gap between its income and expenditure. In the ongoing financial year, the varsity deficit is estimated at Rs 129, while in 2020-21, the varsity had recorded a deficit of Rs 296 crore. As per 2022-23 budgetary proposals, the university’s estimated expenditure is Rs 548 crore, while its expected income is Rs 342 crore, mainly from few collections and government grant.
No immediate financial relief for Punjabi University-Finance Minister. A university employee on the condition of anonymity said ” if this is the situation, now only God can save this university . The state finance minister who remained leader of opposition and knows every thing, is now saying will look into it after three months. Previous government has issued the letter then why they are not doing the needful.”
March 28,2022
