E-Paper
Panjab University finance board clears ₹326 crore for salary hike
Over 680 permanent faculty members and 2,500 non-teaching staff at Panjab University have been awaiting implementation of revised pay-scales; governing body senate to take final call
With over ₹326-crore liability due to implementation of revised pay-scales for teaching and non-teaching staff on its mind, the Panjab University (PU) board of finance on Friday approved a ₹1,014-crore budget for the financial year 2022-23.
The revised estimates ₹618 crore for FY 2021-22 also got the board’s nod during the meeting.
PU is planning to implement revised pay scales as per the UGC 7th Pay Commission for teachers and 6th Pay Commission for non-teaching staff. As such, it had proposed an additional grant of ₹399 crore to bridge the revenue gap in the next financial year.
The hike will benefit around 680 permanent faculty members and around 2,500 non-teaching staff at PU. As per estimates approved by the board of finance (BoF), the hiked pay will translate into additional cost of around ₹58 crore annually, raising the expenditure on salaries alone to around ₹478 crore in 2022-23.
Payment of arrears since 2016 will also lead to a one-time burden of ₹268 crore, leading to a total liability of ₹326 crore.
The expenditure on pension, including all retirement benefits, is pegged at ₹154 crore, that on other operating expenditures at ₹35 crore, while over ₹11 crore will be spent on sports activities.
The annual budget approved by BoF will now be taken up for final approval by the PU senate, the apex governing body of the university, which is expected to meet on March 27.
Two senators – professors Rajat Sandhir and Jatinder Grover – on Friday had written to the BoF to take up the matter regarding the implementation of revised pay scales favourably, so that the staff are given the benefit timely.
The BoF meeting, held in hybrid mode, was attended by vice-chancellor Raj Kumar, dean of university instruction Renu Vig and registrar Vikram Nayyar, besides nominees of the Union ministry of education, Punjab government and Chandigarh administration.
Grants from Centre, Punjab to be recalculated
Also in view of the revision of pay scales, the BoF has constituted a committee to recalculate or re-determine that the amount of grant from the central as well as Punjab governments. The university in its official communique said, “It was decided to constitute a committee to examine the financial implications of the implementation of the revised pay scales and follow up with the government of Punjab as well as ministry of education for release of additional grants to pay the arrears as well as enhance the annual salary, as was done at the time of revision in 2006.”
₹300 crore income expected
According to the budget estimates, the internal income of the university is expected to be around ₹300 crore in the upcoming financial year. This comprises income from examinations at ₹151 crore, revenue from self-financed departments at ₹64 crore and ₹13 crore from traditional teaching departments. Apart from this, the university hopes to earn ₹15 crore from hostels and ₹15 crore from the University School of Open Learning (USOL).
PU also expects maintenance grants of around ₹278 crore from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and ₹36 crore from Punjab.
The university said the nominee of Punjab government assured to look into the delay in release of ₹21 crore grant under the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme, for its early resolution.
