With all the state universities facing a severe fund crunch, the department of higher education has urged the finance ministry to allot Rs 2,490 crore for the higher education sector in the annual state budget 2012-13 for development programmes under ‘plan expenditure’. This is a 100 per cent increase over last year’s allotment of Rs 1,244 crore.

The higher education department has brought to the notice of the finance ministry that the universities were not in a position even to pay staff salaries on time. The department has sought Rs 979 crore for conventional universities, Rs 1,436 crore for technical universities and Rs 75 crore for junior and degree colleges. Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, who also holds the portfolio of higher education, says universities are forced to utilise the funds meant for development programmes as salaries for their staff.