The State Assembly on Monday unanimously referred the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University Bill, 2013, to a subject committee, with Education Minister P.K. Abdu Rabb promising to extend all assistance for the furtherance of Malayalam language.
The Bill, which seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated in November 2012, provides for the formation of a fund called the University Foundation Fund. All contributions and grants received from the Union and the State governments and other such sums shall form the corpus of this fund. The Bill has a separate clause that provides for annual grants to the university to meet the pay and allowances of staff, contingencies, supplies, and services.
A sum of Rs.50 lakh had been set apart in the 2012-13 Budget for setting up the university. A recurring expenditure of Rs.60 lakh and non-recurring expenditure of Rs.645 lakh during the ongoing financial year would be incurred, Mr. Rabb said.
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The Bill has provisions laying out the procedures for selection of vice-chancellor by a search committee nominated by the Governor, who is the chancellor of the university. Section 41 of the Bill provides for the constitution of pension, insurance, and provident funds and gives the university, in consultation with the Finance Committee, power to invest the Provident Fund amount in such a manner as it may determine.
The Assembly also referred two more Bills to the respective subject committees after a brief discussion. The Calicut University (Amendment) Bill, 2013, seeks to amend the original Act of 1975 to enable the nominated authority to continue in office for a period not exceeding two years or till the Senate or Syndicate is reconstituted according to the provisions of the Act.
The Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Amendment) Bill, 2013, seeks to make a minor amendment to the existing Act, providing for enhancing the age of retirement of officers of the university from 55 to 56 in tune with the changes made to the Kerala Service Rules on retirement age.
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