Lok Sabha Question No. 3614 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Lack of Technical Staff in Agriculture Department
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Bharat Singh Kushwah

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UN-STARRED QUESTION No.3614

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  DECEMBER, 2024

## LACK OF TECHNICAL STAFF IN AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT

## 3614 SHRI BHARAT SINGH KUSHWAH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष और िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

(a) whether  marginal  and  small  farmers  often  face  delay  in  getting  information  about  soil  testing, certified seeds, mini kits, crop-cycle, irrigation and pesticides use, new schemes, etc at the local level due to lack of technical staff in Agriculture Department of Madhya Pradesh;

(b) whether the Government proposes to start a Pilot Project as an innovation to provide information about soil testing reports, crop cycle, fertilizers, seeds, pesticide use in crops, new schemes etc. to small and medium farmers at the local level through mobile van equipped with technically skilled staff at the Development Block level viz outsourcing; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and the time by which this could be implemented?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी ( SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a)  to  (c):    A  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  'Support  to  State  Extension  Programs  for  Extension Reforms' popularly known as ATMA is under implementation since 2005. Presently, this scheme is being  implemented  in  739  districts  of  28  states  &  5  UTs  in  the  country  including  52  districts  of Madhya  Pradesh.  The  scheme  promotes  decentralized  demand-driven  farmer-friendly  extension system in the country. Under the scheme Grants-in-Aid is released to the State Governments with an objective to supplement the efforts of State Government  to disseminate latest agricultural technologies  in  different  thematic  areas  of  agriculture  and  allied  sector.  This  include  providing information to the small & marginal farmers about soil testing, certified seeds, mini-kits, crops cycle, irrigation  and  pesticides  use,  new  schemes  etc,  through  training,  demonstrations,  exposure  visits, kisan mela, mobilization of 'Farmers Interest Groups' and setting-up of 'Farm Schools' in the field of progressive farmers. There is a provision in the ATMA Scheme Guidelines that at least 50% of the beneficiaries must be small and marginal farmers.

O.I.H

The ATMA is under implementation in all the States of the country including Madhya Pradesh.  The  details  of  manpower  provided  under  ATMA  Scheme  in  Madhya  Pradesh  are given as under: -

- (i) STATE LEVEL: The  State  Nodal  Cell,  ATMA  comprises  of  State  Nodal  Officer, State Coordinator, Gender Coordinator and supporting staff, whereas 'State Management and Extension Training Institutes (SAMETI)' comprises of Director, Deputy Director, Accountant-cum-Establishment  Clerk  and  Computer  Programmer.  The  number  of  Deputy Directors  are  deployed  on  the  basis  of  number  of  blocks  under  implementation  of  ATMA Scheme.
- (ii) DISTRICT LEVEL: The manpower deployed at district level comprises of Project Director  (01  No.),  Deputy  Project  Director  (02  No.),  Accountant-cum-Establishment  Clerk (01 No.) and Computer Programmer (01  No.).
- (iii) BLOCK  LEVEL :  The  manpower  deployed  at  block  level  comprises  of  Block Technology Manager (01 No.), Assistant Technology Manager (02 to 04 No.) depending on size of Block.

## Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is implementing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) scheme  in  the  Country  including  in  Madhya  Pradesh  with  mandate  of  single  window agricultural knowledge, resource and capacity development centres for dissemination of latest agricultural technologies including among the farmers including small and medium ones. The activities of KVKs include on-farm testing to identify the location specificity of technology under various farming systems; frontline demonstration to establish the production potential of improved agricultural technologies on the farmers' fields; capacity development of farmers for knowledge and skill up gradation; and production of quality seeds, planting materials and other  technology  inputs  for  availability  to  the  farmers.  In  order  to  develop  awareness  of improved agricultural technology among the farmers, a large number of extension activities are taken up by the KVKs. The KVKs are district level institutions and there are 54 KVKs in Madhya Pradesh under the scheme.

Besides,  the  State  Agriculture  Department  of  Madhya  Pradesh  has  reported  that  more  than 5000 field functionaries are positioned in all the districts of Madhya Pradesh to facilitate the farmers  on  various  aspects  of  farming  including  information  dissemination  on  soil  testing, certified seeds, mini kits, crop cycle, irrigation and pesticides use, new Schemes etc.

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