BANGALORE: Reversing a trend, Bangalore University on Monday presented a surplus budget for the year 2006-07, with total receipts of Rs. 103.88 crores and total expenditures of Rs. 99.46 crores. A substantial portion of the funds (77.46 per cent or Rs. 77.04 crores) has been earmarked for salaries and maintenance charges.

While general funds (revenue from fees and other related heads) remains the backbone of the university's revenues, the budget proposed to raise Rs. 11.16 crores (10.78 per cent) from its Employee Welfare Fund, Rs. 6.4 crores (6.16 per cent) from research and project funds and Rs. 6.23 crores (6 per cent) from its capital projects.

New initiatives

Among the new initiatives proposed in this year's budget, priority will be given for the speedy completion of a valuation centre and a boys' hostel on the Central college campus; completion of a multi-purpose stadium on the Jnanabharathi campus and new buildings for the departments of Commerce, Apparel Technology, Visual Arts and Environmental Sciences.

Also on the budget agenda is a centre for apiculture studies, a mini theatre for the Department of Performing Arts and a new compound wall around the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering.

The budget has earmarked Rs. 1.21 crores for the new courses started last year; Rs. 1.03 crores to build laboratories and Rs. 1.1 crore to continue the ongoing computerisation process.

Responding to the budget, the University's Academic Council members demanded an increase in the share of funds for research and projects, which stood at a mere 5.21 per cent. The budget has allocated only Rs. 5.18 crores under this head.

Although the budget has set aside Rs. 20.5 lakhs for endowment funds, the university decided to set up a separate account for such funds and invest them in RBI bonds for better returns.

Council members were, however, unhappy about the consistent decline in the budgetary allocation for department museums.

General funds contributed the lion's share of the university's proposed total receipts. This head accounted for 75.83 per cent, translating to revenues of Rs. 78.78 crores.

Council members proposed a hike in the rental fee for the Jnanajyothi auditorium and an increase in affiliation fees to push the receipts upwards.

Member, Ravichandra Reddy stressed the need for separate grants for applied genetics.

On the question whether educational tours are part of the curriculum, the council proposed a committee to look into the issue. Another panel will study the finances required for various national and international seminars organised by the university departments.

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