Punjab government order seeking unspent funds from HEIS challenged

LUDHIANA: Following the notification issued by the department of finance, Punjab, directing all 48 government colleges of the state to deposit unspent funds lying with their respective societies by March 31, the principal secretary of higher education Rahul Bhandari, has ordered Punjab state treasury services to withdraw the orders for Higher Education Institutions Society (HEIS), as it is a local-level society and colleges under it are not funded by the government.
The notification that shook authorities of all colleges registered under HEIS read, "The unprecedented crises require the state to pool all its resources -- whatsoever, at disposal should be shared to meet the funds requirement to tackle the urgency created by Covid-19. Thus, all departments are instructed to deposit unspent balances, irrespective of the source of such funds, held in the bank accounts of their respective societies before March 31," the notification read.
Following this notification, TOI contacted principal secretary of higher education, Rahul Bhandari, and raised the concerns of the colleges that do not get any government assistance. Bhandari, who was not aware of the notification earlier, assured to act swiftly and wrote to Punjab state treasury services to withdraw the order letter.
The notification had also directed that all colleges should only keep funds for only two months - April and May - to meet essential expenditure like salaries, electricity and water bills, etc.
A principal of a government college, requesting anonymity, said, "The funds that we have raised are to be utilised as per guidelines of MoAs signed by us. As per the norms of these MOAs, only the executive committee after passing special resolution can spend funds that too for the benefit of the students. Even the Constitution of India does not allow their custodians, including chairman, secretaries, and members, to give funds to any other organisation, even the Centre or state governments."
Meanwhile, assistant director public instructions colleges, Gurdarshan Brar, said, "This is a time of national crisis. Raising frivolous issues and points of order are not in good taste. These funds are ultimately public funds. There is a social responsibility clause that applies to these societies. There is a clause in which society can accept or give donations. Why not donate for a noble cause?"