NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Thursday refuted a media report that it has drastically curtailed funds meant for libraries.“The University has been allocating to the library every year only an amount of Rs 1.70 crore for the books and journals from its grant received annually from the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, in 2012, the UGC gave a one-time, bulk grant to JNU under the 12th Plan for five years from which an extra amount was allocated for the next five years. Now that the 12th Plan has ended, the library is running with its annual grant. However, JNU has already made a request to the UGC to release additional funds to meet increasing requirements of the library,” read a statement issued by the office of JNU finance officer.
“The reports of the library budget cuts are a fabrication of facts.” The JNU administration’s statement came a day after the media report stated that the university has reduced Dr B R Ambedkar (Central) Library’s annual budget from Rs 8 crore to Rs 1.70 crore. In response, the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) polls claimed the amount which the UGC released for five years was around Rs 20 crore, which the financial officer was hiding. “Both UGC and JNU knew the Planning Commission ended and the Niti Aayog has come. If plan grant was ending, why wasn’t sufficient planning done on part of both UGC and admin regarding funds?” it said.
Laying blame on the UGC is half-truth as MHRD officials told JNUSU that regular grant for the library was sent to the Commission and there is no cut, the union said. “Now either the MHRD or the UGC hasn’t made provision for the loss of 12th Year Plan which itself shows how anti-education Modi Sarkar is,” it added.