Issue white paper on financial health of Punjabi varsity: PUTA to V-C

members of the Punjabi University Teachers’ Association ( PUTA) have asked vice-chancellor (V-C) Prof BS Ghuman to issue white paper on the financial health of the

members of the Punjabi University Teachers’ Association ( PUTA) have asked vice-chancellor (V-C) Prof BS Ghuman to issue white paper on the financial health of the Punjabi University, Patiala.

The PUTA members sat on a dharna against the Punjabi University administration despite unfavourable weather conditions. (Bharat Bhushan/HT)

The demand was raised when the faculty members, under the banner of PUTA, continued their protest in front of the V-C office for the third consecutive day on Friday from 11am to 1pm. The university teachers participated in the dharna despite unfavourable weather conditions.

The PUTA members condemned the “non-serious” attitude of the vice-chancellor on the matter and the administration’s “disinterest” towards their genuine demands.

Apart from the demand of white paper, the teachers have been seeking timely payment of salaries, release of DA (dearness allowance) arrears of 2013, transfer of money from NPS (National Pension System) accounts to GPF (general provident fund) ones, revised salary and arrears to promoted staff, non-observance of one teacher-one post principle, appointment of regular dean and director planning and monitoring, revival of annual increment to ad-hoc teachers, counting of ad-hoc service, etc.

PUTA president Jaswinder Brar and secretary Gurnam Virk said that the association feels concerned about the fast deteriorating financial condition of the university. They said that the university administration is concealing the real picture of the university’s finances.

“Punjabi University authorities are not bringing out white paper on the financial conditions. Also, they are not disclosing how much interest has been paid to the State Bank of India (SBI) during the term of the incumbent V-C,” they said.

“The current V-C and his administration’s policy of overborrowing from the bank at higher interest rates is pushing the university further into the debt trap,” they added.

During the tenure of vice-chancellor Prof BS Ghuman, debt on the university has increased three times, from ₹40 crore to ₹120 crore.

“Along with the financial condition of the university, the administrative working is also deteriorating day-by-day,” they claimed while asking the V-C to come up with a plan to address the financial and administrative issues. The PUTA members have decided to continue their dharna till their demands are met.