Kendrapara: The Jute Research Centre at Jajnga in this district, which was once considered one of the best centres for producing rare varieties of jute seeds, is reportedly on the verge of closure. Farmers ascribe its decline to lackadaisical attitude of the government.
The centre, best known for its own researched jute seeds KJC-7, is encumbered with many problems pushing the research work to a halt. The farmers are also at their receiving end.
As against the total sanctioned posts of 32 research and non-research staff, only five are managing it. “The centre is currently run with an officer, a pest expert, a pathologist and a clerk” informed Narayan Swain, an agriculture overseer.
Sources said the centre’s land is being squeezed. Out of its 46.63 acres of land, more than six acres has been given away for the office of superintendent of police. This apart, a lion’s share of the land is under Krushi Bikas Kendra. Jute and mesta variety of jute is cultivated and processed only on six acres of its remaining 16 acres.
While its staff quarters and store room are in a dilapidated condition, shortage of staff, stoppage of financial assistance and necessary equipment have proved fatal for the research work.
With seven rivers and their 27 tributaries and distributaries, Kendrapara has all the elements including its soil conducive for golden fibre cultivation. With a view to encouraging jute farmers here, the centre under the Jute Agriculture Research Centre at Barakpur, was opened in 1956-57. The government of India transferred the centre to Orissa in 1962. Since 1973, the research unit has been running under the Orissa University of Agriculture and Training.
Talking to Orissa POST, Khageswar Das, a worker, said some 10 quintals of seeds were being transported out of this unit. Now the centre runs on paper only. Research has come to naught due to shortage of staff and machines.
Locals like Bijaya Parida, Gayadhara Dhal, Bidhu Bhushan Mahapatra held the government responsible for the present state of the centre. They urged the government to find out ways to run this centre on a PPP mode. They warned the government of a farmer stir if action is not taken to bail it out. PNN