Post-Matric Scholarship scheme: Panjab University yet to receive Rs 21 crore grant from state govt

The university has said that it has not received the grant under the scheme from 2013-14 to 2019-20. In January 2021, the matter was outlined in the action-taken report of the board of finance meeting.

Panjab University (PU) has not yet received around Rs 21 crore from the Punjab government under the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) scheme. The university has said that it has not received the grant under the scheme from 2013-14 to 2019-20. In January 2021, the matter was outlined in the action-taken report of the board of finance meeting.

Panjab University had been writing to the state government for years seeking the release of the pending grant. A PU official said that they have written to the government recently as well. When PU was expecting a revenue gap in 2020 amid the pandemic, the budget estimate committee had recommended that the projected deficit be reflected in the budget and the government be asked to release the pending grant to cover it.

In the budget estimates of 2022-23, which is to be taken up in the next meeting of BoF, the Panjab University has proposed revised pay scales for its teaching and non-teaching staff, which has caused the varsity budget to reach Rs 1,014 crore. The university has proposed supplementary and pending grants under the PMS scheme to bridge the revenue gap. A senior Panjab University official said, “It is affecting the revenue of the university and we have to curtail the spending till the payment of the pending amount.”

Despite many attempts, DPI (colleges) Punjab, Upkar Singh, was not available for comments. The university has also not received any response from the Punjab government regarding the grant of Rs 37 crore for the construction of a building of PU regional center at Sri Muktsar Sahib. Moreover, Punjab is yet to release the balancing grant of Rs 2.6 crore out of Rs 5 crore sanctioned to complete the remaining work of building at PU rural center at Kauni, Sri Muktsar Sahib.

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