LAHORE, June 10: The Punjab University finance and planning committee has approved Rs73.043 million deficit budget for the year 2003-04.

It estimates an income of Rs1.125 billion from the government grants and own resources and Rs1.198 billion spendings during the year.

The budget estimates will finally be authenticated by the syndicate scheduled to meet on June 28.

The university expects Rs270.921 million (27 per cent) in government grants, Rs719.618 million (73 per cent) from own resources and Rs53.344 million additional grant from the government.

Sources claimed that the university had included Rs53.344 million funds just on the basis of an announcement without considering that this grant might be allocated for specific purposes and university administration would be unable to use it ‘freely’.

The university has also planned to generate extra Rs81.462 million by putting extra burden on students through increase in examination fee, 25 per cent increase in tuition fee on self-finance students and miscellaneous dues. The fee increase will become effective on July 1.

Under the head of examination fees alone, the university plans to earn extra Rs51.042 million. The university has approved Rs100 increase in examination fee for BA, B.Com, B.Pharmacy, BSc chemical engineering and BSc geology from Rs1,200 to Rs1,300; for BSc, BCS, B.Ed, BS.Ed, LLB part-III from Rs1,500 to Rs1,650; for MSc, MA fine arts, BSc home economics and BA fine arts part-III and MFA from Rs1,600 to Rs1,750; for LLB part-I & II from Rs1,350 to Rs1,500; for MA, B.Pharmacy part-III & final, BSc chemical engineering part-III & final, BA fine arts part-I & II, BSc geology part-III & final and different diplomas from Rs1,400 to Rs1,550; for MBBS I, II & III and final professional and BDS from Rs2,500 to Rs2,750 and for different medical diploma examinations from Rs4,000 to Rs4,500. The examination fee for LLM has been increased from Rs2,400 to Rs2,650, for M.Phil from Rs5,000 to Rs5,500 and for PhD from Rs12,000 to Rs13,250.

Similarly, the university plans to earn extra Rs12.131 million under the head of examination miscellaneous dues, Rs16.050 million by 25 per cent increase in tuition fee from self-finance students and Rs2.240 million from other charges. It, however, did not increase tuition fee and hostel charges.

As regards expenditures, the university will spend Rs904.120 million to meet recurring expenses, Rs209.560 million on teaching and non-teaching departments and essential expenditures, Rs9.282 million for creation of 140 teaching and non-teaching posts.

It is learnt that the university approved its networking project at a cost of Rs34 million and doctoral programme at a cost of Rs25 million. It also enhanced the number of merit and needy scholarships from 1,000 to 1,500.—Mansoor Malik