Guideline violation slur on Agri Dept
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 18 2014: A strong suspicion has been raised that guidelines specified by the Central Government and misuse of fund by Agriculture Department in implementing Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme may have been flouted.

According to an official source, major shares of fund sanctioned for ATMA scheme should be utilized in capacity building, sharing knowledge and imparting training on new agriculture and allied technologies through the State Agriculture Management Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) among subject matter specialists, extension officers, village level workers, village extension workers, field assistants, sub-divisional agriculture officers, horticulture inspectors, veterinary assistants, sericulture inspectors, fishery inspectors, NGOs, private organisations, unemployed agriculture graduates and dealers of crop seeds and fertilizers.

After these groups of people train on new agriculture and allied technologies, they should go to field and share their new found knowledge with farmers.

A paddy field in Manipur A paddy field in Manipur

To carry out these specified activities effectively, there is a Director for the SAMETI in addition to Information Technology Deputy Director, Agriculture Extension Deputy Director, Post Harvest Technology Deputy Director and a Human Resource Development Deputy Director.

Moreover, there are many staff at the district level.

The total amount sanctioned by the Government of India for implementation of ATMA scheme in Manipur is Rs 21.34 crore.

Out of this, Rs 1.75 crore was released in the first instalment followed by another Rs 2.67 crore in the second instalment.

From the second instalment of Rs 2.67 crore, Rs 1.72 crore should be utilized in paying salaries to employees.

Out of the remaining Rs 95 lakh, Rs 92 lakh should be invested in field training programmes for capacity building while Rs 3 lakh should be set aside for holding IDWG meetings for extension reforms, payment of TA/DA and other contingencies as required by the State nodal cell.

The total amount of Rs 2.67 crore released in the second instalment has been deposited in State Bank of India, Paona Bazar branch against the account of a top ranking official of the Agriculture Department.

Even though it has been more than a month since the money was deposited in the said official's bank account, neither the employees' salaries have been paid nor any other scheduled programmes conducted.

On account of prolonged stashing of the second instalment in the official's bank account, the matter was taken up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India regarding the ambiguity whether the fund should be handled by the Agriculture Director who is also the State Nodal Officer of the State Nodal Cell or it should be entrusted to the SAMETI Director.

In response, the Joint Director (Extension Reforms), Department of Agriculture and Cooperation,, Extension Division, Ministry of Agriculture sent a letter addressed to both the Agriculture Director and the SAMETI Director.

The letter clearly stated that the second instalment of Rs 2.67 crore should be transferred to the SAMETI Director after setting aside Rs three lakh for the State Nodal Cell.

However, the amount of Rs 2.67 crore is still in the official's account.

Again, according to the guidelines, the second instalment should be transferred/distributed to the bank accounts of Deputy Directors concerned within 10 days.

The second instalment should be utilized within a limited period and due utilization certificates should be submitted before applying for the third instalment, added the official source.