LAHORE: The University of Veterinary and Animal Science (UVAS) syndicate on Thursday approved Rs3.81 billion budget for 2017-18.

Presiding over the syndicate meeting, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said major chunk of the budget would be spent on research and development projects for improving the quality of education. The value of the ongoing 86 research projects was Rs1bn. A sum of Rs2.3bn had been allocated for development projects.

Of the total development allocation, Rs1.8bn would be spent on ongoing projects while Rs490m on new projects to be initiated in the financial year 2017-18.

According to the VC, work on National Livestock Technology Park at Ravi Campus, Pattoki, will begin this year for which Rs150m had been allocated.

“A sum of Rs60m has been allocated for a new project -- In-service Training Facilities of Advanced Veterinary Education and Professional Development for Veterinary Professionals (Soft Component) -- and Rs30m for establishment of the Export Facilitation Centre for Livestock and Poultry Industry on UVAS city campus,” he said.

He said Rs250m had been allocated for acquisition of land for upgrading Para-Veterinary School, Narowal, to College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

Among the ongoing projects, Prof Pasha said Rs200m had been allocated for the enhancement of research facilities at Ravi Campus, Rs1.2bn for University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Rs53.6m for Para-Veterinary School at Narowal, Rs159.5m for the new academic block, students hostels and apartments for faculty on the city campus, Rs113.4m for the training centre for biologics at Ravi campus Pattoki, Rs28.7m for developing ostrich farming in Punjab, Rs22m for Propagation of Ducks Rearing and Rs30.3m for development of camel milk value chain.

Treasurer Dr Zubair Farooq said the university expected non-development income of Rs1.43bn from different sources while non-development expenditure was expected at Rs1.48 billion. The deficit was Rs50.5m, he added.

A sum of Rs692.4m was expected to be generated by the university from its own sources.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017