Latest News | Par Panel Pulls Up Govt for Inadequate Infra, Vacant Posts in KVKs
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. A Parliamentary panel on Tuesday pulled up the government for inadequate infrastructure in several of the existing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and not filling up vacant posts.
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) A Parliamentary panel on Tuesday pulled up the government for inadequate infrastructure in several of the existing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and not filling up vacant posts.
The Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing expressed concern that only 15 new KVKs have been opened in the last five years in its second report submitted to Parliament.
Presently, 731 KVKs are spread all over the country, with 93 districts having two KVKs each and 121 districts do not have a single KVK, it noted.
"Also, only 15 new KVKs have been opened during the last five years. Besides, there is inadequate infrastructure in several of the existing KVKs, and about 30 per cent of the sanctioned posts are vacant in KVKs across the country," the report said.
The committee felt that the reduction in allocation in BE 2024-25 to the Agriculture Extension Division, which works through a network of KVKs, is not a step in the right direction.
"The Committee are of the considered view that there should be at least one KVK with adequate infrastructure and sufficient manpower in each district of the country," the report said.
The Committee recommended the government to take steps to enhance allocation to the Agriculture Extension Division to achieve the desired goal.
About Rs 234.89 crore was allocated for the Division in BE 2024-25 which is less than the allocation of Rs 327 crore made in BE 2023-24 and the actual expenditure of Rs 248.49 crore incurred during the year 2023-24.
Appreciating the government's efforts in developing 286 climate-resilient technologies, the committee said more appropriate steps are required to be taken to promote climate-resilient farming.
The research should focus on the development of location-specific, cost-effective, eco-friendly climate-smart practices and technologies and their dissemination and demonstration on a large scale in the country, it added.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)