T.N. univerisities face financial crisis as UGC refuses to release funds: Appavu

T.N. univerisities face financial crisis as UGC refuses to release funds: Appavu

The Hindu Bureau

TIRUNELVELI 03.01.205

The universities in Tamil Nadu are encountering acute financial crisis as the University Grants Commission (UGC) refuses to release funds, Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu has said.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday after welcoming a group of non-resident Tamils visiting various culturally important places in the State under ‘Vaerkalai Thaedi’ programme, Mr. Appavu said six State universities were functioning without Vice-Chancellors even as the UGC was denying funds to the universities.

The UGC, which was keen on including its representative in the VC search panel, was refusing to release sufficient funds to the universities in Tamil Nadu. Consequently, these universities, including Tamil University, Thanjavur, Madurai Kamaraj University and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli, were encountering acute financial crisis.

‘Rule not binding’

“The UGC’s recommendations on including its representative in the VC search panel need not be honoured, as per a Supreme Court verdict in a case pertaining to the State of Bihar. Since the UGC’s move to include its representative in the VC search panel did not succeed, it is refusing to release funds to Tamil Nadu universities,” Mr. Appavu said.

Since the State Government was keen on weeding out the ‘unacceptable proposals’ in the Centre’s New Education Policy, the State had refused to accept it in its present form. However, the Centre was acting in a vengeful manner by not releasing funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), he said.

‘No funds for gift’

“As the Centre is not releasing funds to Tamil Nadu in a just manner to meet its genuine needs, the State Government cannot give ₹1,000 along with the ‘Pongal gift’. The people have understood this issue,” said Mr. Appavu.

When asked about BJP president K. Annamalai’s observation that he could not understand how the funds being allocated for school education in the State Budget were being spent even as infrastructure in the government schools were poor, he said Mr. Annamalai could get all information from the School Education Department website where the details of expenditure had been posted.

“He can also get it under the Right to Information Act. Every rupee being allocated by the State for a purpose is being spent in judicious way,” Mr. Appavu said.

He also observed that the alleged sexual assault on a student on Anna University campus was being politicised by the Opposition parties even as the police had arrested the accused immediately. “Since the rule of law has been ensured in Tamil Nadu, the police, after arresting the accused, are investigating the case to get him punished in the court of law. Those who are now blaming the government for political reasons will appreciate it after the court verdict,” Mr. Appavu said.

NEWS TODAY 03.01.2025

 

Encashed leaves akin to salary, denying it violates rights, says Gujarat HC

Encashed leaves akin to salary, denying it violates rights, says Gujarat HC

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.01.2025

Ahmedabad : Depriving an employee of leave encashment earned by him is violation of constitutional rights, Gujarat HC said, dismissing a petition by Ahmedabad MC against a labour court’s order directing the civic body to pay leave encashment dues to a retired employee. Upholding the labour court’s order, Justice M K Thakker said: “Leave encashment is akin to salary, which is property, and depriving a person of his property without valid statutory provision is a violation of the provision of the Constitution. If an employee has earned the leave and chosen to accumulate his earned leave to his credit, then encashment becomes his right and in the absence of any authority, that right cannot be infringed by the petitioner corporation.” 

Sadgunbhai Solanki had joined Ahmedabad MC as a technical department employee in 1975. He was a junior clerk in 2013, when he was demoted to the post of helper as he did not clear a departmental exam for promotion. Solanki tendered his resignation on March 5, 2013, but MC did not respond to his resignation for seven months. It set a one-month notice as a condition to accept his resignation. However, no resolution was reached and Solanki superannuated on April 30, 2014. When Solanki demanded encashment of his earned leave, which came to about Rs 2.80 lakh, the civic body refused to pay.

Med students protest severe shortage of faculty, facilities

Med students protest severe shortage of faculty, facilities

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.01.2025

Hyderabad : The first and second year MBBS students of Govt Medical College (GMC), Asifabad, launched a protest on Thursday to highlight severe shortage in faculty, medical equipments and hospital staff. The students expressed their dissatisfaction with the ongoing disruptions to education and the impact these issues were having on practical training. They said that college had not received a single cadaver (against the minimum of 8) this year. The students also sent a letter to Asifabad collector expressing concern over the conditions. “There are no doctors, proper equipment or even proper facilities to have postings. Without practical knowledge, there is no use of an MBBS degree. Some departments have not even been established. These include obstetrics and gynaecology, dermatology and ophthalmology,” read the letter. 

According to the students, this shortage had significantly hindered their learning experience and affected their academic progress.“We are facing severe difficulties in our education due to the shortage of faculty. Classes are irregular and sometimes they don’t even happen. There is no proper system i n place to ensure that we get the necessary lectures and clinical training. The senior PG students who are teaching us will also leave soon,” said a first year student. They said that the college didn’t even have proper washrooms. “We do not even have a single dustbin,” added another student, saying that these issues have been flagged multiple times to the college authorities but no action has been taken so far.

Passengers of an international flightdropped off at domestic terminal

Passengers of an international flightdropped off at domestic terminal

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 3.01.2025

Passengers of an international flight were accidentally taken to the domestic terminal at Chennai airport on Wednesday night. The Air India Express from Singapore reached the city around 11.45 p.m.

Since the flight was parked at the remote stand, around 150 passengers were transported in five buses by the ground handling agency. Of the five buses, two carrying about 90 passengers erroneously dropped them off at the T4 domestic terminal instead of the T2 international terminal, sources said.

As soon as they realised the mistake, they ensured that the 90 passengers were transported to the international terminal in the same bus. “They were accompanied by Customs officials. They got Central Industrial Security Force clearance and subsequently went through immigration. As a result of this, they were delayed by half an hour. The mistake occurred because it was a new ground handling agency, and we believe there was a communication error,” a source said.

The incident came to light when a passenger highlighted the security concerns on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). What if the passengers had exited the terminal without immigration and the inconvenience they had to endure, the passenger said.

“We are aware of an incident where the ground handling agency coach drivers at Chennai airport erroneously directed international passengers of one flight to the domestic arrival area. The issue was promptly resolved,” an Air India Express spokesperson said. Airports Authority of India officials say they are looking in it. “The airline and ground handling agency are usually responsible for carrying passengers from the aircraft to the terminal,” an official said.

Salary of staff public info, can be shared under RTI: HC

Salary of staff public info, can be shared under RTI: HC 

03.01.2025

Bhopal/Jabalpur : The MP high court has held that salary of a public servant is public information and can't be denied under the Right to Information Act, if sought. With this observation, the court quashed the order of the public information officer and state information commission and ordered that desired information be fetched to the petitioner within a month. The petitioner, MM Sharma from Chhindwara, said he had sought information about wages paid to two employees of forest circle Chhindwara. Counsel for the petitioner, Nityanand Mishra, argued that wages of public servants is a public information, and it has to be shared if asked for under section 4 of the RTI, 2005. It can't be kept a secret on the pretext of it being private information, which can't be shared with a third person. After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench of Justice Vivek Jain allowed the petition, asking the public information officer to share the information with the petitioner within a month. TNN

Woman bites 61-yr-old hubby 12 times & throws acid on him, arrested

Woman bites 61-yr-old hubby 12 times & throws acid on him, arrested 

NISHATPURA TIMES NEWS NETWORK 03.01.2025

Bhopal : A 61-year-old man was allegedly brutally attacked by his wife in Vishwakarma Nagar in Nishatpura on Wednesday morning. The woman reportedly bit her husband in about a dozen places, scratched him severely with her nails, and hurled acid (toilet cleaner) on him during the altercation. While the acid did not touch his body, it damaged his clothes. Nishatpura police registered acase against the accused wife on charges of assault & attempted acid attack, & she was arrested. Investigation officer SI Shrikant Dwivedi said that the complainant, Narayan Lodhi, 61, a truck driver residing in Vishwakarma Nagar, was living with his second wife, 45-year-old Durga Lodhi. Durga has two daughters, aged 12 and 14, from her previous marriage. Narayan, due to his profession, usually visits home once or twice a week. 

SI Dwivedi said that on Wednesday morning, around 10 am, Narayan returned home with essential supplies, but a dispute erupted with his wife over missing items. The argument escalated, and Durga physically attacked him, biting him in multiple places and scratching him badly. Narayan tried to escape, but Durga threw acid at him. Fortunately, it hit his clothes, which were slightly burned. SI Dwivedi said that Narayan lodged a formal complaint with the police, stating that Durga is addicted to alcohol and has attacked him several times before. The police previously intervened and counselled the couple, but her behaviour did not improve. The police is investigating further.