Revised budget exposes varsity funds under-use

Revised budget 2012-13 presented Friday shows Mumbai University (MU) has failed to use almost 28 per cent of funds as planned at the beginning of the year. The revised budget estimate shows MU could spend only Rs 271.08 crore this academic year against an estimate of Rs 376.89 crore.

For the 2013-14 academic session, Rajpal Hande, director of Bombay College and University Development, presented a Rs 394.90-crore budget before senate members.

A majority of "new and major works to be carried out during 2013-14" for which funds have been allocated were also there in the budget estimate last year.

"Many new major construction works and projects proposed last year are yet to start. The varsity has allocated funds for the same projects again, terming them new major projects," said Pradeep Sawant, a senate member belonging to Yuva Sena.

Another senior senate member said, "There are no updates on development of a university sub-centre in Thane. Over a year has passed but the varsity administration has failed to build even compound walls. Last year, they allocated Rs 30 lakh for repair of hostels. This year, they have allocated Rs 95 lakh for the same under new and major works."

Nine of 12 new and major works mentioned by varsity this year were allocated funds last year too.

Sawant said, "If they remove these heads under which work has not started, the budget would be surplus."

Heads underwhich the varsity has re-allocated funds are compound wall at Vidyanagari campus, lake, new underground water tank, construction of a girls hostel, sports complex, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Contemporary Studies, guest house, repairs to J N Library and boys hostel.

The authorities promised most of these works would start by June this year.

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