Financial assistance to students reeling under the impact of COVID-19, delivery of services through a single software, a state-of-the-art laboratory for food testing, a sports hub, and an open-air stadium in memory of former Vice Chancellor U.R. Ananthamurthy figure prominently in the annual budget of the Mahatma Gandhi University(MGU) for the next fiscal.
The budget, approved by the varsity Syndicate on Thursday, envisages an income of ₹709.68 crore and an expenditure of ₹654.13 crore. M. Anilkumar, convener of the Syndicate’s finance subcommittee, presented the budget at a meeting presided over by Vice Chancellor Sabu Thomas.
An amount of ₹1.69 crore has been earmarked for the promotion of five research projects related to COVID-19. An additional fund of ₹20 lakh will be spent as financial assistance to students experiencing difficulties in the academic field due to the pandemic outbreak.
The budget also envisages expending ₹2 crore for a laboratory with approval from the NABL for food testing and quality assurance. A state-of-the-art library will be set up on the campus by spending ₹5 crore while a fund of ₹1 crore has been set apart towards the first phase of an open-air stadium in memory of Ananthamurthy.
To develop a software that will offer services ranging from admission to delivery of degree certificates online, a fund of ₹1 crore has been earmarked. This is in addition to the ₹6 crore allocated towards office automation.
Key projects
The other key projects include establishment of a student amenities and incubation centre at ₹9.13 crore, a ₹1.05-crore project to enable SC/ST and transgender students to attend competitive examinations, international seminars, sports events, and examination coaching. The UGC Please project, which envisages teaching and research in new areas of knowledge, has received ₹5 crore.
A fund of ₹2 crore has been set apart for the first phase of a modern press to be constructed on the varsity campus. A fund of ₹3 crore will be expended on setting up a sports hub.
The Syndicate meeting also felicitated Mr.Anilkumar, who has been elected Mayor of Kochi.
