New Delhi: A Parliamentary Committee on Monday
expressed concern over the 1,987 posts for scientists lying
vacant in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and
wondered how the government expected the ICAR to perform
without adequate human resources.
"The committee are greatly concerned to note that as on
date, positions of 655 scientists, 1,010 senior scientists and
322 principal scientists, including research management
positions, are vacant," the Committee on Agriculture said in a
report tabled in the Lok Sabha.
The committee, headed by Basudeb Acharia, also pointed
out that so many vacancies would definitely affect the
functioning of ICAR "adversely".
The panel said it wondered "how the government expects
the council to deliver without even their personnel
requirements being met."
ICAR, an autonomous organisation under the Agriculture
Ministry, is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and
managing research and education in agriculture, including
horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences.
The committee has been informed that the ICAR is in the
process of recruiting 700-800 scientists, the report said.
The panel advised the ministry to expedite the process
and also asked that the remaining vacancies be filled on a
priority basis "so that the research and development
activities in the agriculture sector are not adversely
affected."
Suggesting a solution to this manpower shortage, the
committee has asked the ICAR to evolve a well-planned strategy
to augment its human resources and submit the same within
three months.
In its report, the committee suggested that the ICAR
further incentivise the positions in its institutions and
ensure "a conducive and transparent work environment and
career progression."
The committee also expressed dissatisfaction with the
present system of measuring growth of agriculture merely on
the basis of foodgrain production.
"They feel that unless the carry-home income of farmers
is also not factored in, a fair assessment of the achievements
and development of the agriculture sector will not be
complete," the report said.
Accordingly, the committee has recommended that the
ministry work out some models to generate some aggregate
measure of farmers` income "so that necessary steps to
initiate correctives are taken accordingly."
PTI
