Assam Government Suspends Agricultural Officer Over Poor Farmer Registration Progress
Suspension of Hailakandi District Agricultural Officer
File image of under suspension Hailakandi District Agricultural Officer (DAO) Manoj Kumar Baishya (Photo: AT)
Hailakandi, Oct 31: The Assam government has taken action by suspending Manoj Kumar Baishya, the District Agricultural Officer (DAO) of Hailakandi, due to inadequate progress in the registration of farmers.
The suspension, which was enacted by the Agriculture Department on October 30 under the authority of the Governor, followed a review meeting led by Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika on October 29. The findings revealed that the advancement of the Farmer Registry scheme in Hailakandi was alarmingly low.
Baishya, who also serves as the Assistant Director of Agriculture (DL-1) and oversees the DAO role, has been suspended in accordance with Rule 6(1) of the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, pending further departmental investigations.
The order indicated that as the head of the Agriculture Department at the district level, Baishya was accountable for the execution and oversight of key agricultural initiatives, including the Farmer Registry, and for meeting targets across all district circles.
It was claimed that Baishya did not provide adequate administrative supervision, which led to a significant shortfall in the generation of Farmer IDs and a notable absence of field staff during crucial enrollment activities.
The Farmer Registry is a significant program initiated by both the Central and Assam governments.
Previously, five Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) in the district faced suspension due to similar issues regarding their field responsibilities.
During the review meeting, Minister Hazarika expressed deep concern regarding the district's dismal registration statistics and the alleged negligence of ADOs in conducting necessary field visits.
“Every ADO is required to spend three to four hours daily in the field. However, when questioned about their recent visits, they admitted to not having visited at all the previous day,” the minister stated.
He linked the low registration numbers to the officers' reported absence from fieldwork, noting that only eight farmers were registered in Hailakandi on the day of the review, a decline from 12 the day before.
“Public service requires complete dedication. Any negligence that jeopardizes the welfare of our farming community will lead to strict and decisive measures,” Hazarika emphasized, warning that any further lapses would result in consequences.
During his suspension, Baishya has been assigned to the Office of the Joint Director of Agriculture in Silchar, where he is prohibited from leaving without prior approval from the appropriate authority or engaging in any private employment or business activities.