The Cochin University of Science and Technology has nothing much to cheer about in the State Budget 2012-13 except for the Rs.5 lakh assistance it received for a new Centre for Budget Studies.
The university had expected some help to overcome its financial crisis and the university authorities still remain clueless on how to pay the salaries of its employees in April.
The only relief for the university, however, is the share it will get from the total of Rs.20 crore allocated by the government for all the universities in the State to step up facilities to become universities with potential for excellence under a University Grants Commission programme. Senior Cusat officials admitted that the varsity had not given any proposal to be included in this budget except the one for initiating a new Centre for Budget Studies, which will research the areas of policy, budget, governance and public service delivery.
Lopus Mathew, convener of the Finance Committee of the university Syndicate, told The Hindu that experts would analyse whether the State and Central budgets helped in the overall development of the public. Research on whether the budgetary recommendations were implemented for the welfare of the people will also be conducted, he said.
The aim of the centre is to examine the short and long-term impacts of the State and Union budgets on policy matters. It will also come up with recommendations on how to address public issues effectively in the budget.
