AU seeks `66 crore additional block grant

AU seeks `66 crore  additional block grant
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Govt response likely in few weeks, says Vice-Chancellor Visakhapatnam: The Executive Council (EC) of Andhra University, which met in Hyderabad...

Govt response likely in few weeks, says Vice-Chancellor au2 Visakhapatnam: The Executive Council (EC) of Andhra University, which met in Hyderabad on Tuesday, resolved to seek additional block grant of Rs 66 crore to the last fiscal budget of Rs 130.38 crore from the State government for the year 2013-14. The additional block grant includes Rs 36 crore deficit budget of last fiscal and Rs 30 crore exclusively for development of varsity. Thus, the total block grant sought from the government was Rs 196.38 crore. Vice-Chancellor Prof. GSN Raju, who attended the EC meet, told reporters here on Wednesday that the government's response to the proposed block grant would be known in two to three weeks' time. The EC was satisfied with the proposed budget for 2013-14 and would recommend to the government in the interest of the varsity, he said. "We are mainly concentrating on generating revenue to the university by utilising internal research and development (R&D) and consultancy services," he added. On the fears that the revenue of Andhra University had declined as most of the affiliated colleges were taken over by other universities, Prof. Raju said: "It's not at all a problem. As per the government's policy, more regional varsities have come up in the State and naturally, nearest colleges should be attached to them for their sustainability. That is why the number of affiliated colleges for AU decreased. Hence AU is seriously thinking on revenue generation by utilising internal services like R&D and consultancy." The Vice-Chancellor said the EC has approved the proposal to give City Compensatory Allowance to the time-scale employees working in the university and the long-pending issue of 28 days' employees was also ratified. He said the Post-Graduate Centre at Paderu would be set up soon as was proposed by Tribal Welfare Minister P Balaraju, after the government allots land and budget. Stating that it was also proposed to spend 10 per cent of the budget on development of sports, Prof. GSN Raju said a team of AU alumni was coming forward to build an indoor AC Sports Auditorium, which was already in the pipeline. Asked about the steps taken to protect AU lands from being grabbed, he replied that the university has already appointed an Estate Officer and a Chief Legal Officer entrusting them with the task of mapping the AU campus, how much land has been grabbed and how to protect the existing lands. Asked how a non-university employee, working with UGC funds, has been appointed assistant principal to a university college as no action could be taken in case of misappropriation of funds, he replied: "Assistant principals have no cheque power to misuse funds. They are merely treated as supporting staff to the principal." "We also expect a positive reply from the government with regard to our request to sanction 400 teaching posts and 800 non-teaching posts," he added.A University Rector Prof. AV Prasada Rao, Registrar Prof. K Rama Mohana Rao, former in-charge Registrar Dr K Samrajya Lakshmi and media director Prof. DVR Murty were present.
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