Sonepur: Though Subarnapur district has emerged as one of the leading agricultural producers in the state, a severe shortage of staff in the district’s Agriculture department is affecting the delivery of services to farmers.
According to official data, 96 of the 180 sanctioned posts in the district’s Agriculture department remain vacant.
The shortage is particularly acute at the grassroots level, with 44 of the 75 posts of Village Agriculture Workers (VAWs) lying vacant.
Subarnapur has made significant progress in agriculture due to the availability of irrigation facilities.
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Canals from the Hirakud Dam project irrigate a large portion of farmland in Binika and Dunguripali blocks during both the kharif and rabi seasons.
Besides this, the Hariharjor medium irrigation project, several minor irrigation schemes, mega lift irrigation projects and thousands of smaller lift irrigation units have contributed to increased agricultural productivity in the district.
Owing to these irrigation facilities, paddy production in the district has risen considerably.
The government procures nearly 6.3 million quintals of paddy from the district’s farmers during the kharif and rabi seasons.
Subarnapur has thus established itself as the second-highest paddy-producing district in Odisha after Bargarh. The district has also recorded notable production of cotton and pulses, while fisheries, animal resources and horticulture sectors have witnessed steady growth over the years.
However, despite these achievements, the shortage of manpower in the Agriculture department has made it difficult to effectively implement government schemes and provide timely services to farmers.
The post of Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO) in Subarnapur is currently vacant. Additional District Agriculture Officer Ghanshyam Dehuri from Sonepur has been given the additional charge of the post.
Similarly, the post of Block Agriculture Officer in Birmaharajpur block remains vacant. Out of 14 Assistant Agriculture Officer posts, five have not been filled.
All three Junior Accountant posts are vacant, while 11 of the 16 Senior Assistant posts remain unfilled. In addition, the lone Junior Stenographer post, all five Junior Assistant posts, and one Biochemist post are also lying vacant.
The shortage is most severe at the field level.
With 44 of the 75 sanctioned Village Agriculture Worker (VAW) posts lying vacant, each worker is often handling three to four gram panchayats, making it difficult to regularly reach farmers.
Meanwhile, irrigation coverage in the district is increasing steadily.
After the government fixed the paddy procurement price at Rs 3,100 per quintal, farmers have begun cultivating paddy during the rabi season across hundreds of acres using lift irrigation systems.
Despite the growth in agricultural production, staffing levels in the Agriculture department have not kept pace. As a result, farmers are reportedly unable to fully benefit from several government schemes.
Baikuntha Nath Satpathy, president of the Subarnapur District Farmers’ Organisation, alleged that the shortage of staff has prevented many farmers from accessing agricultural schemes and technical support.
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He urged the state government to take immediate steps to fill the vacant posts.
Responding to the issue, Ghanshyam Dehuri, in charge of the district’s Agriculture department, said the government has been informed about the vacant positions.
“With limited officers and staff, we are trying to address farmers’ problems and provide necessary advice whenever required,” he said.