Mahatma Gandhi University Employees Association has called upon the Finance Minister K.M. Mani to make necessary provisions in the ensuing budget proposals to help the University tide over its financial crisis.
In a submission made to the Finance Minister, general secretary K. Sherafuddin said the difference between the non-plan grant from the government and the expenditure of the University was widening.
Unless necessary steps were taken, the functioning of the institution would be affected.
The University, founded in 1983, today has 241 affiliated colleges, 16 statutory departments, 155 off-campus centres, making it the largest university in Kerala.
There are 1,830 employees, 117 teachers and 520 pensioners.
The non-plan grant would not suffice even to meet the expenditure for salary and pension commitments, Mr. Sherafuddin said.
Rs.97 crore
During 2012-13, the University had paid Rs.97 crore towards salary and pension payments alone.
This was against the government grant of Rs.45.28 crore, he said.
In fact, it was the statutory deductions from salaries that helped the authorities handle the financial affairs well. But the non-payment of statutory deductions to the accounts concerned and its arrears, was mounting, he said. On several occasions, the authorities were forced to divert funds from other accounts for salary and pension payments. “This cannot go on for ever,” he said.
The salary revision by the UGC would add additional burden to the institution this year.
The expenditure on the increasing number of examinations would also go up. The association pointed out that during 2012-13, the University received a non-plan grant of Rs.45.28 crore while Kerala University received Rs.110.99 crore and Calicut University, Rs.79.81 crore.
Against such a backdrop, the non-plan grant from the government should be increased and made on par with that of Kerala University, the submission said.
