Use varsity budget to pay salaries: HAUTA

HISAR, Feb 18: A five-member delegation from the Haryana Agricultural University (HAUTA), has demanded that 20 per cent of the varsity's ...

HISAR, Feb 18: A five-member delegation from the Haryana Agricultural University (HAUTA), has demanded that 20 per cent of the varsity’s current year’s budget be used to meet the hike in pay scales.

The delegation, led by its president Dalel Singh, met Haryana Chief secretary R. S. Verma today. Singh said that since 80 per cent of the hike in pay scales will be met by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, (ICAR), the state government will have to bear the rest of the expenses.

The delegation also urged the state government to pay a Rs 25,000 each to the teachers as interim relief. This sum could later be adjusted in payment of arrears to end the teachers’ hardship, as was done for scientists working in the ICAR. The director-general has written to the state agricultural universities about this issue, the HAUTA release said.

The association requested Verma to set up a committee of persons who have a legal background, and are from within the Board of Management, to resolve various cases pending in the courts. Singh said that more than 500 cases were pending in various courts. Vice Chancellor J. B. Chowdhury has agreed to the proposal to set up the committee, he said.