HYDERABAD :The senate of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro has allocated only Rs 85.235 million out of the total annual budget of Rs 4496.351 million for research activities and Rs 61.373 million for a grant of scholarship to the students of the university.
According to a university spokesman, such allocations in research activities and scholarships have been approved by the 41st meeting of the senate which met on Monday under the chair of Sindh Minister for Works and Services Syed Zia Abbas Shah and approved the varsity’s annual budget 2022-2023 worth Rs 4491.351 million.
The Director of Finance Mehran University Zeehan Memon who presented the annual budget before senate members for approval informed that out of Rs 4496.351 million, a major chunk of the annual budget i.e. Rs 21559.598 has been allocated for grant of salaries and allowances to university teachers, officers and employees while Rs 696.070 million have been earmarked for grant of pension among retired teachers, officers and employees of the university.
Besides, Rs 295.500 has been reserved for payment of utility bills and other expenses. The university senate approved Rs 646.874 million as the annual budget of SZAB Campus Khairpur Mirs.
The Director of Finance informed that Sindh Government had enhanced its allocation and granted the additional amount of Rs 674 million to the university which, he termed a commendable initiative of the provincial government.
However, he informed that Sindh Government has been requested to release a special grant of Rs 900 million to the university as the management was facing financial constraints due to low income because of less number of admissions in academic programmes of the university following poor socio-economic condition of the people as a result of floods in the province.
The university management had also borrowed Rs. 200 million from the bank to meet the varsity’s expenses, he informed.
Syed Zia Abbas Shah who is also the Pro-Chancellor of Mehran University termed the annual budget comprehensive and hoped that the budget amount would be spent according to allocations.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Taha Hussain Ali said due to the increase in petroleum and power tariff, the varsity expenses have also been enhanced and efforts are being made to meet the financial constraints.
There is a need that the faculty members should utilize their expertise and research experience, and acquire research projects outside of the university so that academic departments could bear their expenses.
He informed the university management that was granted scholarships to 35 per cent of the students and efforts are being made to arrange more scholarships for poor and deserving students.
First ever in history, the management had arranged an alumni convention with the active participation of alumni from home and abroad, he informed and hoped that alumni would provide financial assistance to the university so that management could be able to meet its expenses and enhance the number of scholarships.