HYDERABAD, Aug 1: A meting of the Sindh University senate has approved the varsity’s recurring budget of Rs1,182.809 million with a deficit Rs200.523 million for the financial year 2006-07.

The meeting also approved to the revised budget for the year 2005-06 of Rs772.891 million with a surplus of Rs172.755 million.

SU Director Finance Faiz Mohammad Hingoro said while presenting the budget that the Rs200.523 million deficit was caused by a cut of Rs154.523 million in annual budget by HEC and 15 per cent raise in salaries.

He called the budget balanced and said that the university’s receipts, inclusive of the cut, were estimated at Rs982.286 million and the expenditure was estimated at Rs1,182.809 million.

Mr Hingoro threw light on the measures the varsity had taken to reduce deficit and said that the additional allocations of Rs53.495 million for faculty development, books and chemical glassware would be withdrawn from the estimated budget if the varsity did not receive an additional grant from HEC.

The university would now purchase only five new Hino buses from the Rs35 million which had been set aside for the purchase of 10 buses and adjust the remaining amount towards the deficit, he added.

He said that the university hoped to earn Rs279 million from its own resources, which included examination fees and its property during the financial year 2006-07.

The university has estimated an allocation of Rs688.496 million for salaries and other benefits to faculty members and employees and Rs89.261 million for pension contribution.

Rs23.831 million had been set side for books and research journals and Rs32.832 million for chemicals, glassware and laboratory equipment, which would be possible only if the HEC extended additional grant, he said.

Rs17.832 million had been allocated for faculty development, Rs17 million for foreign scholarships, Rs1 million for linkage programme, Rs3 million for research assistance, Rs1.4 million for scholarships, prize medals, bursaries and free-ship to students, Rs900,000 for hostel students service, Rs2 million for study tours, Rs1 million for students’ extracurricular activities, Rs20 million for transport facility for students, Rs2.7 million for sports, Rs23.831 for books, newspapers and journals, Rs3.5 million for holding conferences, seminars and convocation and Rs35 million for the purchase of new vehicles, Mr Hingoro said.

The university had allocated Rs1.7 million for the development of gardens and lawns and Rs400,000 for the development of botanical garden, he said.

The varsity had set aside Rs5.184 for setting up the Institute of Management and Emerging Sciences in Badin, he said adding that Rs1 million had been allocated for coordination council for the promotion of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai studies, Rs10.499 million for Allama I I Kazi Library, Rs1.556 million for organizing students activities, Rs1.088 million for Allama I I Kazi Chair and Rs133,000 for Allama I I Kazi Memorial Society.

The senate members expressed concern over the HEC’s cut in the recurring budget and said that it was despite the fact that the SU was the first public sector university which had introduced reforms and was working towards the development of higher education.

The HEC nominee and vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, appreciated the Sindh University’s efforts for the promotion of research and quality of higher education and said that due to the Ministry of Finance’s overall cut in HEC budget, all the public sector universities were facing the crunch.

The commission would, however, provide financial assistance to the universities to meet their requirements, he assured.

A member, Fazlullah Qureshi tabled a resolution urging the Sindh government to provide financial assistance to the university, the second oldest university of the country.

The meeting approved new rules and regulations for the appointment of lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors as recommended by HEC and syndicate.

It also approved new rules and regulations for the promotion of professors to grade 21-22 as recommended by HEC and duly approved by syndicate and appointed a three-member committee comprising Dr Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, Dr Pirzada Qasim and Dr A Q Mughal for the preparation of a pro forma.

The meeting also gave its approval to the award of an honorary doctorate of law to Ms Margherita Boniver, Italian deputy minister of foreign affairs, in recognition of her services for the promotion of relations between Italy and the countries in Asiatic region and the protection of human rights in particular.

The meeting presided over by the SU Vice-Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui was attended by professors emeritus, heads of institutes and departments, members of senate from syndicate, academic council and representatives of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Sindh governor’s nominee and the representatives of colleges affiliated to the university.