Assam Government Suspends Agriculture Officers Over Low Farmer Registration

In a significant move, the Assam government has suspended five agriculture development officers in Hailakandi due to their failure to achieve satisfactory farmer registration numbers. This decision follows a review meeting where concerns were raised about the officers' lack of field visits and their overall performance. The government emphasizes the importance of the Farmer Registry as a priority program, and the suspensions reflect a commitment to improving agricultural support for farmers. The suspended officers are expected to explain their actions, but initial responses have been deemed unsatisfactory. This action marks a serious escalation in addressing the district's agricultural challenges.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 30, 2026, 19:23 IST

Immediate Suspension of Agriculture Development Officers

File image of Assam Agriculture Minister during his visit to Hailakandi on Thursday (Photo: X)

Hailakandi, Oct 30: The Assam government has taken decisive action by suspending five agriculture development officers (ADOs) in Hailakandi due to unsatisfactory farmer registration numbers and alleged failures in their field responsibilities.

The suspension was enacted by the secretary of the Agriculture Department following directives from the Governor. The officers were suspended under Rule 6(1) of the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964.

The order pointed out the district's dismal performance in farmer registration, indicating that the number of generated farmer IDs in Hailakandi was alarmingly low.

Emphasizing the importance of the Farmer Registry, the order stated, “Farmer Registry is a time-bound priority flagship programme of both the Government of India and the Government of Assam.”

It was further noted that agriculture development officers were responsible for organizing enrollment camps, mobilizing farmers, and overseeing field activities.

The suspended individuals include Akashdeep Karigapsa, Aditya Bezbaruah, Rajibul Haque Molla, Priyanku Majumder, and Madhurjya Hazarika.

This action follows a review meeting led by Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika, where he expressed significant concern regarding the district's low farmer registration statistics.

Previously, these officers had received show-cause notices for their alleged shortcomings in the ongoing farmer registration initiative and their failure to conduct necessary field visits.

During the review, Hazarika emphasized that field visits are fundamental to an ADO's role, expecting each officer to spend three to four hours daily in the field.

“Every ADO must visit the field and dedicate three to four hours a day. However, when questioned about their visits, they admitted they hadn’t visited at all yesterday,” the minister stated.

He linked the low registration numbers to the officers' failure to perform fieldwork, noting that only eight farmers were registered on the day of the review, a drop from twelve the previous day.

“This situation cannot persist, and there will be no tolerance for work-related lapses,” Hazarika asserted, mentioning that the officers had been asked to justify their absence but failed to provide adequate explanations.

In a social media update, the minister referred to the notices as a response to the officers’ “chronic absence from field duties,” which he claimed had hindered farmer registrations.

“Public service requires complete dedication; any negligence affecting our farming community’s welfare will lead to strict and decisive measures,” he stated.

The suspensions represent a significant escalation in the department's response to the district's inadequate farmer registration performance.