The University of Mumbai senate passed the budget for 2016-17 unopposed with allocation of funds aimed at growth of the campus for the benefit of all stakeholders.
The University of Mumbai senate passed the budget for 2016-17 unopposed with allocation of funds aimed at growth of the campus for the benefit of all stakeholders. Some of the new initiatives planned in the budget include setting up of overseas campuses that are already being discussed with interested institutions in UAE and Dubai. The budget is shown to be in surplus based on the expectation that the government would remit Rs 100 crore that the university has spent on its behalf in the past few years. The total budget layout for the year is Rs 639.54 crore, nearly Rs 150 crore more than the previous year.
While addressing the media after the budget, Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, vice-chancellor, MU, said that the budget was a progressive one and was in surplus, a feat unachieved by the university in the past few decades. “Apart from the recurring expenses, the university has allocated funds for construction work, digitisation of the university, encouraging smart villages, setting up of virtual classrooms in select colleges, providing internet connectivity to colleges through fibre optic networks, setting up of skill development centres in Palghar and Thane district and upgradation of the university press. Provision has also been made for setting up of foreign campuses,” said Dr Deshmukh.
He also said, “The government and University Grants Commission (UGC) has been mulling over the possibility of Indian universities being allowed to start campuses in foreign countries and hence we made a provision for the same in the budget. The MU has already been approached by interested institutions in UAE to set up a campus there. Once the government gives the go ahead, MU will be the first institution to have a campus abroad,” said Dr Deshmukh.
Elaborating on the new constructions that are expected to come up at the Kalina campus, he said four new hostels, quarters for class I, II, III and IV employees, conservation of wetlands and botanical garden, setting up of a mini theatre were among the initiatives that the budget had provided for. “Among the new initiatives, the university will be setting up skill development centres at Zarap in Sindhudurg district and Palghar district for which a provision of Rs 1 crore each has been made. Provision of Rs 4 crore has also been made for multi-dimensional development programmes of the university and Rs 80 lakh has been provided for Make in India too,” said Dr Deshmukh.
When asked about the increase in allocation of funds for departments that do not have any enrolments since the past few years he said, “The university has to maintain the departments regardless of enrolments. The existing faculty need to take up research work in the absence of enrolments to contribute to the growth of the university.”
When asked to justify the grounds on which the budget showed a surplus Dr Deshmukh said, “The university has spent nearly Rs 100 crore on behalf of the university and is expecting the amount to be remitted in the year ahead. Based on that assumption, the budget shows a surplus of nearly Rs 63 crore. I am optimistic that the government will pay their dues to the university.”
