Panjab University’s board of finance to discuss non-payment of grant under PMS Scheme

The varsity is yet to receive around Rs 21 crore from the Punjab government

With Panjab University yet to receive around Rs 21 crore from the Punjab government under the post-matric scholarship (PMS) scheme, the university’s board of finance (BoF) will consider the status of the pending grant in its next meeting.

Representative image/HT

PU had already written to the government in October to release the pending amount immediately. The BoF meeting is scheduled for December 15 and six items will be tabled for consideration including the varsity’s budget.

The non-payment of the grant was also discussed in the last meeting of the budget estimate committee of the university.

As PU was expecting a revenue gap of Rs 31 crore, the committee had recommended that the projected deficit be reflected in the budget, and the government be asked to release the pending grant to cover it.

In its recent communication to the government, the university had said that due to non-payment of the pending amount, it has become difficult to continue the scheme.

Grant for construction of regional centre to be considered

The BoF will also discuss the university’s request to release a grant of Rs 37.62 crores to construct the building of the university’s regional centre at Sri Muktsar Sahib.

Earlier this year, the varsity had written to the Punjab chief minister’s office to release the grant. PU said that the government has allocated a land of five acres to establish a new campus for the regional centre.

“The estimated cost of the construction of the new campus is around Rs 43.12 crores,” PU said.

Rs 2.6 crore for rural centre

Besides this, the BoF will also deliberate on the university’s request to the Punjab Government to release a balance grant of Rs 2.6 crore to complete the construction work at the rural centre at Kauni (Sri Muktsar Sahib).