SAU Needs Rupees One Billion Financial Aid Immediately To Continue Research, Academic Activities: SAUTA

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Mar, 2021 ) :The President Sindh Agriculture University Teacher Association (SAUTA) Dr. Pir Ahmed Haq Shah has said that the university was facing financial constraints that needs financial aid of rupees one billion to address emerging challenges, which have badly effecting academic and research activities.

In a statement issued here on Monday, he called upon the Higher Education Commission Islamabad and Sindh government for issuing grant of required amount on emergency basis to bring out the university from crisis.

He showed serious concerns over the current financial crisis of the university, saying due to acute shortage of funds for last few years, the academic and research activities are badly affected. Citing example, he said that present serving teachers are not receiving their promotions, remunerations and other long awaited dues. The retired teachers, officers and employees are also not being paid their post retirement dues, he added.

He said the university has contributed a lot in the fields of research on integrated farming, climate smart agriculture, soil status, desertification, land management, fisheries, livestock, nutrition, horticulture, floriculture, poultry and other emerging challenges. People associated with the university have potential to help the policy makers to make legislations to promote agriculture, livestock and fisheries, as these three sectors engage more people for livelihood activities, he said.

He said the varsity producing large number of scientists every year in various fields to serve the country. Many of them join different sectors, like seed management, pesticides and fertilizer companies, research institutes and bringing good name to their alma mater, he said and added that despite this contribution, the government authorities seem reluctant to help in such a difficult time to save the university.

The teachers, including those who are guiding Ph.D. scholars and producing studies on various subjects have observed that they seem unable to carry on their work, despite the fact it is need of hour. They believe that the grant may help smooth running of university to achieve the goals of research, quality education and technology transfer for sustainable agriculture, the President SAUTA said.

Besides producing scholars, he said the university is working with rural communities in fields of agriculture, livestock and fisheries, educating youth, male and female to initiate local entrepreneurship to help families. The university has recently launched urban forest, a unique place for families to visit and enjoy at picnic resort with variety of flowers and fruits, he said.

If Higher Education Commissioner and Sindh government provides required grant, the same would be utilized for bringing improvement in academic and research activities of the university, he added.