Visva-Bharati teachers and employees received their February salaries on Friday evening, bringing an end to a controversy triggered by a varsity notification that had hinted at a possible delay in the payment because of paucity of funds.

“I received my salary this evening and it was proved that officials in the ministry of human resource development department were right that there was no paucity of funds. It is good news for us,” said a varsity teacher.

The employees received salaries on the last working day of every month. As the last day of this month is Saturday, the varsity credited the salaries to the employees’ accounts on Friday evening.

Varsity sources said following the intervention of Union human resources development ministry, the University Grant Commission sanctioned a special grant of Rs 20 crore that reached the varsity’s account on Thursday evening.

“As soon as we received the grant, we processed the salary. It was given as an emergency measure,” said an officer.

On February 24, the officiating registrar of Visva-Bharati had issued a notification stating that the salary for February might be delayed due to paucity of funds. The notification earned the criticism of the top HRD brass in New Delhi.

Vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty was asked to explain why the notice that had raised an alarm among employees had been issued.