Cusat Budget Proposes Waste Treatment Tech Park and Solar Plant

KOCHI:
Cusat will soon establish a total Waste treatment Technology Park in its campus with permanent exhibition of working models of various waste treatment techniques including the waste management system of the campus, disclosed the University Budget 2017-18 presented today by Dr. N. Chandramohanakumar, Convener, Syndicate Standing Committee of Cusat.
An amount of Rs. 50 Lakhs was set apart for the Technology Park in the budget. Cusat Vice Chancellor Dr. J. Letha presided over the budget session of the syndicate.
According to the budget, The Cusat campus will be declared as plastic free campus. The scheme includes campaign against the use of plastic, ban of plastic banners; carry bags, bottles and plastic pens.
The University will also encourage the use of ink pen. A 100 KWA solar energy plant will be commissioned atop the building of Department of Instrumentation to study the possibility of a partial change over to solar energy for which Rs. 60 Lakhs is set apart. Within 6 months the entire campus will be energy audited. The budget proposes various steps to tap secondary water sources including rain water harvesting from every building in the campus and awareness programmes.
The University will covert to paperless administration and the present practice of using hard copies of circulars and notifications hall be dispersed forth with. The progress of e-governance being implemented in the University will be accessed by an expert team.
A Centre for Consultation and Services will be established to promote consultancy. The unit for IRAA will be bifurcated to Common Admission Cell and Centre for International Relations. The budget envisages a full time University Health Center with Doctor and Nursing Assistant and supported by a mini Pharmacy and
ambulance at the Student Amenity Centre.
The budget proposed to establish a Research Activity Committee to act as a single window in issues related to research coordination and project formulation. The research activities will be reformated in accordance with the larger interests of the state and nation. Each department of the University will be entrusted to strengthen the Alumni with the generation of a corpus fund worth Rs. 100 Crore. The budget also proposes to celebrate Cochin University Day on 10 th July every year with Prof. Mundassery Oration. Govt will be approached to establish Prof. Mundassery Chair in the University.
The present practice of appointing contract teachers will be modified as a five year tenure track Assistant Professorships with a direction to bring in external funded projects for their continuance.
No administrative sanction is required for project funds and specific allotments. Group Insurance for students will be implemented and the premium shall be met from students with a matching grant to the tune of 25% from the University.
The budget envisages a ban on the use of pirated softwares and proposes a Software Development Centre in the campus. An Information Literacy Centre will be established in University Library with an aim to conduct short term courses.
Hostels will be constructed at the main campus of the University and at CUCEK campus with a total outlay of RS. 2 Crores. Tne working women hostel with 30 rooms and a Studio Flat System as quarters for the staff at a cost of 1.50 Crores will be constructed. A National Optical Testing Facility to test the quality of
optical fibers and other optical electronic devices will be established.
In order to promote informal learning and reading, an nnovative concept of garden Library with Wi-Fi facilities will be established in the premises of the University library. Another salient eature of the budget is the establishment of a Language Lab to make anguage learning easy and comfortable.
The budget estimates a receipt of Rs. 217.43 crores and an expenditure of Rs. 218.44 Crore in the non-plan sector and a receipt of Rs 122.35 Crore and an expenditure 91.65 crore in the Plan sector.
In the self financing sector the budget expect an income of Rs.59.55 Crore and an expenditure of Rs. 56.71 Crore.