Bureaucrats, Agri Dept collude to take full control of PMKSY?
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 16 2017: A strong suspicion has been raised that some bureaucrats have been working to keep Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana(PMKSY) undertotal control of Agriculture Department in their personal interest after disbanding the State Nodal Cell which is looking after the scheme.

PMKSY was given approval on July 1, 2015 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs which is headed by the Prime Minister as Chairman and it was launched in the same year with the primary objective of improving irrigation facilities across the country and raise the country's agricultural productivity.

The Government of India sanctioned Rs 50,000 crore for the scheme which should be implemented in five years.

The scheme should be implemented by converging all relevant departments.

With the scheme already launched in the State too, a State Nodal Cell has been set up.

Agriculture Department is the scheme's nodal department.

The State Nodal Cell should assist the nodal department's administrative Secretary, inter-departmental working group and the State level sanctioning committee so as to ensure success of the scheme in the State, informed a source.

Moreover, the State Nodal Cell should monitor physical and financial progress of the scheme apart from rendering necessary assistance toward formulation of district irrigation plan and State irrigation plan.

Under a wholesome State irrigation plan, all water sector activities including those of drinking water and sanitation, MGNREGA, science and technology should be brought to a common platform.

With the State Nodal Cell set up only sometime back, no clear picture of PMKSY is visible in the State so far.

Yet, there is a strong suspicion that the Agriculture Department has been colluding with some bureaucrats to abolish the State Nodal Cell and take total control of the scheme and all its activities, said the source.

Due process has been initiated from the Secretariat level to abolish the State Nodal Cell as Agriculture Department is in better position to look after PMKSY directly, and Agriculture Department has been contending that there is no need for the State Nodal Cell.

In addition, due process has been initiated to bring PMKSY under Agriculture Department or its administrative Secretary, informed the source.

PMKSY StateNodal Cell staff should be paid remuneration based on their performances and their performances would be assessed, based on a format given by the Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture).

As the staff would be paid remuneration only when the Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) is satisfied with their performance, they may be compelled to leave their respective posts out of frustration and this may be a deliberate policy to abolish the cell.

In case the Central Government comes to know about what is going on in the State regarding the scheme, funds sanctioned to the State under the scheme may be cancelled. If funds sanctioned under PMKSY are withdrawn, the State's agriculture and related sectors would be seriously af fected.

Notably, 70 to 80 per cent of the State's population.

depend on agriculture for their livelihood.

The way some, bureaucrats have been manipulating the scheme in their per, sonal interest may prove to be a serious set back to the farmers, and their economic prospects, added the source.

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