he Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) budget for 2015-16 envisages setting up a captive solar power plant and a legal patent facilitation centre on the campus.
The surplus budget to the tune of Rs. 10.73 crore has included proposals to utilise its proposed Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research as a weather forecasting centre for the State and setting up a technology business incubation centre on its Thrikkakara campus. The radar facility will be pressed in to service for weather forecasting, especially to help the farmers in the State.
To seek assistance
The budget estimates revenue receipts of Rs. 260.6 crore and expected expenditure of Rs. 249.53 crore. But the non-plan outlay shows a deficit of Rs. 7.56 crore, with a revenue of Rs. 114.8 crore and estimated expenditure of Rs. 122.36 crore. The varsity will seek the support of Central and State government agencies for setting up the captive solar power plant.
The legal patent facilitation centre for students and researchers will be established in collaboration with the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment. The budget has earmarked Rs. 20 crore for the new projects. A research council will be formed to ensure quality in research and ethical practices while writing theses. Malayalam will be given prominence by encouraging publication of books in the mother tongue.
The budget note points out that the issue of Cusat upgrade into an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology should be pursued with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD. It has also suggested considering the self-financing institutions under the varsity as part of the mainstream Cusat aimed at enhancing its internal revenue sources.
The budget has warned that Cusat’s School of Engineering will run out of funds by March 2016 (estimate balance available pegged at Rs. 57 lakh). The budget has also forecast a dip in internal revenue to the tune of Rs. 4 crore in this fiscal owing to the government decision to de-link its recognised engineering institutions and affiliate it with the Kerala Technological University.