Manipur varsity hit by severe fund crunch

IMPHAL, March 19: The Manipur University, the only university in Manipur faces a serious threat to its developmental activities due to financial constraints. The University falls short of its target for want of adequate resources. The grants-in-aid received from the State government are too meagre even to meet the salary and salary components of the employees. The University has not been able to make payment of salaries in time. Its classes are also disrupted by the frequent strike calls given by the students, staffs and even teachers of the University. The University has also failed to extend assured assistance to the employees to meet their travel expenses for conferences, medical assistances etc. The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Hajim Tombi, while delivering his speech during the 22nd Senate meeting of the University, clearly submitted that the University had been compelled to restrict all forms of its development activities only to the extent of the grants released by State authority. The Senate meeting, which was held on March 17, was attended by more than 70 senators including the ministers, ex-ministers and noted academicians besides others. Mentionably, the deficit under maintenance account, during 2000-2001 was Rs 201.31 lakh while the estimated deficit during 2000-2001 is Rs 128.85 lakh. As a result, this has hampered the growth of the University. It failed to implement the schemes sanctioned by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as the State government has not given the requisite assurances to the end of the plan period.