Restore Hry's share in PU: Khattar urges Centre

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today urged the central government for restoration of Haryana's share in Panjab University, Chandigarh.

This comes days after Khattar reiterated Haryana's claim on Chandigarh, asking Punjab to consider making New Chandigarh its capital.

In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the chief minister referred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court motion directing the Principal Secretary (Higher Education), Haryana, to hold parleys with the Panjab University (PU) vice-chancellor for restoration of Haryana's share in it.

Under the provision of Section 26 of the Panjab University Act, prior to 1966, the colleges situated in the then State of Punjab were affiliated to the PU.

After the introduction of Punjab Reorganization Act in 1966, under the provisions of section 72 of the Panjab University Act, the PU became an inter-state body corporate and continued to operate in all previous areas, including those that were now a part of Haryana, a Haryana government release said here quoting Khattar's letter.

After the establishment of the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjabi University, Patiala, and Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, notifications were issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 1969, the Punjab government in 1970 and the Haryana government in 1973 and 1997, whereby the PU ceased to operate in Haryana.

Khattar further conveyed that based upon the parleys held in pursuance of the orders of the high court, the state government has decided to restore its share in the PU, provided a notification is issued by the MHA that colleges situated in some of the Haryana districts might be affiliated with the PU.

These affiliated colleges would be allowed to follow reservation policy of Haryana for admissions, whereas, for admissions in the courses on the PU campus, the central reservation policy would be followed.

The PU would allow Haryana to follow its own fee structure for such affiliated colleges. The Haryana government would be willing to give as grant-in-aid to the PU an amount equivalent with the contribution of the Punjab government.

The earlier pattern of representation of the State of Haryana in the Senate, Syndicate and Board of Finance of the Panjab University, as ex-officio fellow members (as well as reservation to persons from Haryana in various elected constituencies) would be followed.

Khattar explained that the process of restoration of Haryana's share in the PU is required in view of the fact that over the years the composition and character of Chandigarh has evolved as a larger entity, that is tricity. Besides, a large number of students from Haryana take admission in various advanced and professional courses of the PU, he said.

Just two days ago, while reiterating Haryana's claim on Chandigarh, Khattar had asked Punjab to make New Chandigarh its capital, leave Chandigarh to Haryana, and cooperate in solving the water issue by sitting across the table.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had categorically rejected Khattar's suggestion to set up a statutorily empowered and dedicated board or authority for homogeneous development of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab.

Khattar had impressed upon the Centre the need and urgency to create a statutorily empowered and dedicated board or authority for homogeneous development of Chandigarh, and its adjoining towns of Panchkula and Mohali, the region popularly known as the tricity.