‘What does Rs 200 crore mean?’: Punjabi University asks government on budget announcement

NEW DELHI: Punjabi University, Patiala took a jibe at the Punjab government for granting only Rs 200 crores in this year’s budget. The university is demanding the state government to grant around Rs 400 crores – Rs 240 crores for salary and Rs 150 crore to clear the loan. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in his budget speech declared a Rs 200 crore grant to the university.

“Punjabi University needs 240 Crores (20 Crores monthly) as salary grant and 150 Crores to clear the loan. What does 200 Crores mean? The details are awaited,” the university’s handle said in a tweet.

Punjabi University needs 240 Crores (20 Crores monthly) as salary grant and 150 Crores to clear the loan. What does 200 Crores mean? The details are awaited. @HarpalCheemaMLA @BhagwantMann @meet_hayer @arvind_iiserm @daljitami

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

Presenting the Bhagwant Mann government's first budget after Aam Aadmi Party (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.”

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Earlier, when the budget was announced, the University vice-chancellor thanked the government.

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

The state government also proposed to set up 16 new medical colleges in the next five years and launch scholarships for students in the budget 2022-23.

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Cheema proposed Rs 1,033 crore for medical education which is an increase of 56.60% over FY 2021-22 (RE). He also proposed an allocation of Rs 30 crore in for providing infrastructure facilities in libraries of Government Colleges of 9 districts