Chandigarh: Panjab University partly rolls back hike in mess prices
The new rates of meals in hostel messes of Panjab University have been fixed at ₹41 per meal for male students and ₹47 for a special meal. For female students the price per meal is ₹40.5 per meal, while the price for a special meal is the same
After increasing meal costs in hostel messes of Panjab University (PU), officials have decided to partly roll back on the initially planned hikes after dean of students welfare (DSW) held a meeting with student representatives on Monday.
The new rates have been fixed at ₹41 per meal for male students and ₹47 for a special meal. For female students the price per meal is ₹40.5 per meal, while the price for a special meal is the same.
This is the first increase in meal prices after three years. In 2021-2022, for male students the per meal cost was ₹39 per meal. It had been revised to ₹46.25 per meal, a ₹7.25 per meal increase. For female students, the price has gone up from ₹37.5 per meal to ₹44.50 per meal, a ₹7 increase. The cost for a special meal was increased from ₹45.5 to ₹51 per meal.
After student parties protested on the matter, two meetings were held, including the second one on Monday. Students were demanding that the price of a meal should be brought down to ₹35 per meal for a normal meal and ₹40 per meal for a special meal. Officials had maintained that this would not be viable, and they would have to reduce some items from the meal to bring it down to ₹35. Now, officials have confirmed that the new prices will still retain everything from the previous meals.
Speaking about the matter, DSW professor Amit Chauhan said, “We heard the students’ point as well and it was highlighted how there were lapses in the food’s quality. We will also ask contractors to strictly maintain the standards.”
Officials will also hold a meeting with the contractors regarding quality concerns over food once all the messes open up. Some student leaders will also be invited for the same.
While many of the student party representatives have accepted this roll back by the varsity, some of the student parties have opposed this and said there should be no increment. President of Students For Society (SFS) Sandeep said, “With heightened inflation and falling wages, it is not appropriate for a public university to increase rates like this. There is no end to such annual hikes and we demand that the prices be kept fixed for the students.” While a protest was planned at the Student Centre on Thursday regarding the issue, the parties will announce their next course of action soon.
PU officials have meanwhile reassured that they will continue to give ₹10 lakh food subsidy to students based on their income as they have done in previous years for the underprivileged students.