The administration is trying to work out the modalities but PWD Delhi University students have alleged that the 50 percent food subsidy which is given to them in hostel mess has been withdrawn.
Students have claimed they were getting subsidy on mess food since 2012 but from July onwards, they have to pay the same rates as the other students.
According to a Times of India report, a resident of Mansarovar Hostel said, “In 2012, they had raised a demand for separate hostels for PwD (persons with disabilities). At that time, the varsity said that there would be five per cent reservation on the seats and the mess rates would be halved. But from the last two-three months, we have not been getting food at subsidised rates.”
Three hostels have stopped giving food subsidy.It is being said that other hostels will also not give subsidy after three months once their funds are exhausted.
A hostel warden told Times of India that the funds are not being released or given by the University, the mess fess has to be charged from the students as private contractors runs the mess and in usual course 50 per cent of mess charge for PWD students is given by the University.The PWD students have to pay for the mess fees while rest other facilities are free for them.She also said that the money would be reimbursed back to the students as soon as the University gives it.
DU hasn’t received grant from the UGC since it has not signed the tripartite agreement sent by the Ministry of Human Resource & Development.
The agreement is to be signed between the HRD ministry, DU and UGC and it was sent to the varsity last year, and it has to sign it to continue receiving funds from the UGC.
An official from the University told Times of India, “The varsity had been giving the subsidy from 2012 on its own. It was not receiving any funding for it. It is not that we have withdrawn it. We will continue to give it. There have been some procedural changes and we are working them out so that this can be continued”
