Rs 465.2cr annual budget passed at Mumbai University’s meeting
The annual budget of the Mumbai university (MU) for year 2015- 16 was presented on Wednesday, the second day of the senate meeting, held at the university convocation hall, Fort. The budget was passed later in the night.
The annual budget of the Mumbai university (MU) for year 2015- 16 was presented on Wednesday, the second day of the senate meeting, held at the university convocation hall, Fort. The budget was passed later in the night.
The biannual meet, held on March 24 and 25, was the last for vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar, as his five-year term ends in July. This was also the last meeting for the current senate.
The budgetary provision of Rs 465.20 crore (with a deficit of Rs 76. 62 crore) for 2015-16 was presented by Rajpal Hande, director, Board of College and University Development (BCUD) of MU. Income for 2014-15 was shown as Rs 388.57 crore. Last year (2014-15), senate members had approved a Rs 427.11-crore budget.
This year, the university has allotted funds for new projects and schemes. These include Rs 25 lakh for a faculty club and Rs 10 lakh for the Babasaheb Ambedkar International Studies Centre. Several senate members demanded that Rs 1 crore be allotted for the centre, as it requires modern technology and infrastructure.
While addressing the issues raised by the members regarding exam glitches and the health centre at Kalina campus, Welukar said, “Special attention will be given to improving technology. We will also appoint a full-time doctor at the health centre on Kalina campus. We will publish an advertisement on April 2.”
He said MU was planning to ask government hospitals such as KEM and Sion to set up a health centre on the Kalina campus to improve medical facilities.
While addressing issues of pending salaries of teachers from unaided colleges, Welukar said, “We will propose to the state to come up with an act for salary regulation of teachers.”
The senate stated there should be a guarantee of service charter, applicable for teachers and non-teaching staff, for transparency and accountability. The proposal was made by senate member Ambadas Mohite and was unanimously passed.
The MU also announced the donations it received for various projects in the year 2014-15.