Gurugram: Haryana is gearing as much as renew its long-standing demand for state funding of Panjab College in Chandigarh on the thirty second Northern Regional Council Committee assembly to be held in Faridabad on November 17.
The thirty second Northern Regional Council, which incorporates Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Union Territory of Chandigarh, Nationwide Capital Territory of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, was initially scheduled to fulfill on September 11 however was postponed to November 17.
A senior Haryana authorities official confirmed that the state authorities had raised the problem of Haryana’s stake in Punjab College within the final council assembly and the problem can be raised once more on November 17.
The thirty first Northern Zone Council assembly held in Amritsar on September 26, 2023, mentioned 28 particular matters together with Haryana’s declare to Punjab College.
Different matters mentioned on the assembly included inter-state river water sharing, Bhakra Bees Administration Board, safety, legislation and order, prevention of cyber crimes, fast-track particular courts for legal trials below POCSO, and implementation of a number of central schemes.
What’s behind Haryana’s declare?
Established in Lahore in 1882 and moved to Chandigarh in 1956, Punjab College initially served the undivided province of Punjab, of which Haryana was additionally an element till 1966.
After Haryana was carved out as a separate state below the Punjab Reorganization Act of 1966, the College’s jurisdiction initially prolonged to the Union Territories of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
After the reorganization, 60 per cent of the funding for Punjab College would come from the Heart and 40 per cent can be collectively borne by Punjab and Haryana.
Haryana operated regional facilities below the PU. And the college was affiliated with the college.
Nevertheless, Haryana’s involvement declined over the a long time. Within the Seventies, the state established its personal college and successfully withdrew from the PU.
In line with an anecdote typically informed by a Haryana politician at an occasion in a college in 1976. The then Haryana CM Bansi Lal couldn’t take the stage, however the Punjab CM might. Enraged, Bansi Lal stopped Haryana’s funding to PU and affiliated the Haryana college with Kurukshetra College.
Nevertheless, regardless of this, Haryana maintains that the college stays a standard asset below the 1966 Act and has periodically sought to regain its share within the PU.
Part 72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, accessed by ThePrint, offers with the final provisions of statutory companies.
In line with the Act, a company established below the present central, state or native legal guidelines of Punjab shall proceed to operate within the space through which it was working earlier than the date specified within the Act, topic to the instructions of the Heart infrequently, till some other provision is made by legislation for such company.
Additional, sub-section 3 of this text provides, for the elimination of any doubts, “It’s hereby declared that the provisions of this text shall additionally apply to the Punjab College established below the Punjab Universities Act, 1947 (East Punjab Act No. 7 of 1947)…”
When did Haryana begin making an attempt to regain its share?
After the BJP got here to energy in 2014, then Panchkula BJP MLA Gian Chand Gupta had written a letter to Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar in 2016, requesting him to revive Haryana’s share in Punjab College and its affiliation with PUs for universities in Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Ambala districts.
The state authorities then requested the state schooling division to take up the problem with the PU and the Heart as nicely.
The problem was taken up within the Northern Council assembly held by Haryana below Amit Shah in Amritsar in September 2023, but it surely was strongly opposed by Punjab, which handed a decision within the state meeting in 2022 opposing any change within the standing of the college.
The Shah informed each nations to resolve the problem amicably.
On Haryana College’s aspect, Mr. Qatar had emphasised that Haryana College is keen to contribute financially on the fee of 20 per cent because the college is overcoming monetary difficulties.
Nevertheless, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann rejected any sharing deal.
After Shah’s assembly, the then Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit chaired the assembly, which was attended by Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
Nevertheless, each the CMs have given contradictory statements after the assembly, with Mr. Qatar expressing optimism that optimistic steps are being taken to revive Haryana’s share within the PU, whereas Mr. Mann has utterly dismissed Mr. Qatar’s claims.
Since there was no progress on the problem, it was put again on the agenda.
Chatting with ThePrint on Monday, Gian Chand Gupta stated he can be glad if his efforts bear fruit within the Northern Zonal Council assembly.
“We not solely need universities in Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Ambala to be affiliated with Punjab College but in addition to get a few of the state’s youngsters admitted to high schools in Chandigarh,” he added.
Mr. Gupta stated that at the moment, 85 per cent of the seats in Chandigarh universities are stuffed by college students attending colleges in Chandigarh and solely 15 per cent of the all-India spots have been stuffed.
“It’s ironic that though Panchkula is a part of the tri-city of Panchkula, Chandigarh and Mohali, our kids must undergo very powerful competitors to get admission in schools in Chandigarh,” Mr. Gupta stated.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
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