Kerala: Universities in crisis as entire funds transferred to treasury
The entire funds in the universities have been transferred to the treasury as per the instructions of the government. Last February, the government issued an order to transfer all the money of the universities including the plan fund, non-plan fund, own fund, and pension fund to the treasury.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: The universities of the state are in dire straits as the entire funds in their own accounts have been transferred to the treasury as per the instructions of the government. The government had earlier warned the heads of various departments of Kerala University to immediately transfer the entire balance in the account to the treasury in October, otherwise, the government grant for salary disbursement will be adversely affected. The ultimatum was a continuation of the directives issued in March. Last February, the government issued an order to transfer all the money of the universities including the plan fund, non-plan fund, own fund, and pension fund to the treasury.
The state government has been involved in the funds of the universities to overcome the current financial crisis. Rs 700 crore has been transferred from Kerala University alone. The salary will be paid to the government universities in various installments. However, the installments are not received on time in several universities. Universities that are adjusting their expenditure from their own income are facing more problems now. Universities like Agriculture, Veterinary, and Sanskrit are receiving payments by adjustments. As the concurrent funds went to the treasury, there was no money for research and project development activities in the universities.
The government has not yet paid the last installment of the non-plan fund in the last financial year apart from encroaching on the funds of the universities. Rs 89.2 crore was withheld by the government that day. The universities were in dire straits by giving funds from their own pockets to the government.
