Punjab Budget 2022-23: 16 new medical colleges, Rs 200 crore grant to Punjabi University

NEW DELHI: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in his budget speech on Monday announced Rs 200 crore grant to Punjabi University Patiala, 16 new medical colleges in next five years, scholarships for students and much more.

Presenting the Bhagwant Mann government's first budget after AAP came to power in March this year, the finance minister said, “Punjabi University, Patiala, initially mandated primarily to develop and promote our mother-tongue Punjabi has evolved as a multidisciplinary educational system. However, it has become a victim of mismanagement in the past and so to revive this University, I allocate Rs 200 crore in FY 2022-23 to tide over the ongoing financial crisis.”

Also read | Private universities don’t see teachers as assets, pay poorly, says former IIT Delhi director

16 new medical colleges

Amid the protest by Ukraine-returned medical students demanding admission in India medical colleges, Cheema said “the state doesn't want medical students to go to countries like Ukraine to study medicine” and therefore “promise to provide the best medical education eco-system in the state”.

With this objective, the government proposed to set up 16 new medical colleges making a total 25 medical colleges in the State over a period of next 5 years.

He proposed Rs 1,033 crore for medical education which is an increase of 56.60% over FY 2021-22 (RE). “The focus would be on up-gradation of existing State Government Medical Colleges and also to increase MBBS seats in these colleges.”

The finance minister also announced a new medical college - Sant Baba Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences, district Sangrur - is being established with 100 MBBS seats. The college will get an initial allocation of Rs 50 crore in the financial year 2022-23.

Also read | Demanding admission in Indian colleges, Ukraine-returned medical students sit on hunger strike

Provision of infrastructure facilities in 9 new libraries

He also proposed an allocation of Rs 30 crore in FY 2022-23 for providing infrastructure facilities in libraries of Government Colleges of 9 districts - Tarn Taran, Barnala, Ludhiana, Fazilka, Malerkotla, Moga, Pathankot, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

The finance minister further announced CM Scholarship to general category students for giving concession in university fee. “In order to encourage the students of poor families especially those of general category studying in Government colleges, AAP Government has decided to provide a scholarship as concession in the fee, based on the marks obtained by the student. I propose an allocation of Rs 30 crore for this purpose,” he said.

The Punjab government has also proposed an allocation of Rs 95 crore for construction of new state-of-the-art degree colleges in educationally backward areas in Punjab in the current financial year.

Also read | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann announces measures to reform education sector

Punjab government announces 200 crore rupees grant to Punjabi University Patiala. Professor Arvind, vice chancellor of the university thanks Punjab government #punjabiuniversity #budget #punjabbudget #Punjab @BhagwantMann @meet_hayer
@HarpalCheemaMLA @arvind_iiserm
@daljitami

— Punjabi University, Patiala (@PbiUniPatiala) June 27, 2022

Technical education

With an aim to increase employability of students, the Punjab Government will impart practical training through internships, field visits, and skill development projects along with classroom training. With this resolution in mind, an allocation of Rs 641 crore has been made with main focus on strengthening, modernization and expansion of the existing systems.

Also Read | AAP govt aims to provide 'dignified education spaces' to children in Delhi govt schools: Manish Sisodia

With an aim to implement an effective Sports Policy in Punjab, the government also announced two new schemes for budding and outstanding sportsperson. It proposed to set up a state-of-the-art stadium at Longowal, Sunam (district Sangrur) and added that adequate budgetary provision for the same shall be provided during the course of the year. Further, to raise the standard of Sports, existing stadiums would also be upgraded, Cheema said.

The finance minister said that the Janta budget (people's budget), which has been prepared after receiving 20,384 suggestions on the government portal and through e-mails, will focus on various areas, including health and education.