The University of Mysore on Thursday presented a surplus budget of ₹8.47 crore for 2022-23 at its Academic Council meeting here. The budget puts the projected revenue at ₹393.84 crore as against the expenditure of ₹385.37 crore, causing the surplus.
UoM Finance Officer Sangeetha Gajanan Bhat, who presented the budget, said a block grant of ₹221.75 crore was expected from the State Government towards the payment of salaries and pensions of the staff. This also includes an additional grant of ₹50 crore sought towards the pension and pensionary benefits of the retired staff.
In addition to the block grant, which accounts for 44% of the revenue, the university gets an income of ₹40 crore in the form of admissions fees, registration and affiliation and ₹52 crore from the examination fees. It also gets ₹4 crore from the university properties, ₹4.5 crore from the Scheme B (self-finance) courses, and ₹4 crore from miscellaneous receipts.
Pay and allowances for the staff constitutes a major share of the expenditure as it accounts for ₹121.75 crore. The university incurs an expenditure of ₹50 crore towards the payments of pension of retired employees.
Vice-Chancellor G. Hemantha Kumar chaired the meeting. Registrar Shivappa, Registrar (Evaluation) Gnana Prakash and others were present.
One of the members of the Academic Council sought to know why the University has not considered harnessing solar energy in a big way for cutting down its dependence on electricity for which the university pays nearly ₹4 crore a year.
Responding to this, the V-C said a rooftop solar system has been established at the Department of Physics and another project is underway at the Department of Library Sciences. The Physics Department is distributing surplus power generated on its premises to the main grid., he said, adding that plans are afoot to have such systems at least on 15 departments at the earliest for reducing reliance on conventional power.
“As there is a scheme available with the State government where it installs solar panels for power generation, the University has written to the government with an appeal for considering 100% solarisation of the campus for as a cost-cutting measure,” he said.
Earlier, the academic meeting, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, was held at the Vignana Bhavan here. Mandya MLA Srinivas and MLC Veena Achaiah were present.
The council approved setting up of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at Manasagangotri as the university argued that the centre aims at empowering individuals toward positive change and promotes peace and cultures.
The centre also aims to impart education in Buddhist teachings and develop the personality of the students through the values of Buddhist philosophy, literature and art. It also aims to promote interaction with Buddhist countries and contribute to the promotion of world peace and harmony with different groups, a note from the university said.
“The Centre for Buddhist Studies will uphold the highest academic standards while disseminating the knowledge.”
Also, the Council approved the start of a course in Earth Science and Disaster Management under Scheme B (Self Finance).
