category Regional,, tags Regional,, DW BUREAU Instead of providing the much-needed relief to Punjabi University, the Punjab government, in its Budget-2023, has reduced the grant even further. In the latest budget, the annual grant of the university has been reduced from Rs 200 crore to Rs 164 crore, while the salary budget of the university has increased by nearly Rs 100 crore with the decision of the Punjab government to implement the pay commissions. Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Arvind commented about the budget that it clearly means that saving and running Punjabi University is not the priority of the govt. If the government had to give the same amount of grant as last year, even in that way, with the burden of the new decision, it becomes more than 300 crore. Inflation and fiscal deficit were separate. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had promised to make education debt-free during his visit to Punjabi University, but with this budget, he has created a new debt situation for the university. A university spokesman said that It is worth mentioning that Punjabi University is under a debt of Rs 150 crore and is running on financial deficit. As a result, the university is not in a position to pay salaries on time. With this budget, the crisis of Punjabi University is bound to deepen. In the previous budget, the Punjab government had given a salary grant of Rs 150 crore and a non-salary grant of Rs 50 crore to the university. Along with this, the Punjab govt had repeatedly promised an interim grant which was not fulfilled. No non-salary grant has been given to Punjabi University in this year s budget. (editor dailyworld.in)