Kerala: Planning board move feared to clip Karshika Karma Sena wings

Thiruvananthapuram: A majority of agriculture department officials have resented the State Planning Board’s move to give more powers to block-level agro service centres. They see this detrimental to the functioning of Karshika Karma Senas in 202 panchayats across the state. But agriculture minister V. S. Sunil Kumar told DC that the combined work of KKSs and ASCs would only strengthen the two entities. The previous UDF Government launched 34 ASCs as per the advice of the SPB. The present dispensation started 20 more.

Top agriculture officials in Ernakulam district allege that KKSs functioning in a systematic and organised manner are way ahead of ASCs.  They also claim that a detailed project report on climate change by Centre for Management Development based at Thycaud here had never seen the light of the day. “Recently, a top agriculture department official had given a report to the minister citing that ASCs are a failure. The government is taking efforts to provide an extension to an SPB official who is expected to retire in May so as to take up the ASCs in a big way so as to weaken the KKSs which is actually a contradiction,” said an official.

However, the minister maintained that many ASCs in Kozhikode, Kottayam and Thrissur are doing well except a few in Kasaragod block panchayat. He said the aim of the government was to bring ASCs in 159 block panchayats which would work as satellite units. “Prof U. Jayakumaran, formerly with Kerala Agriculture University, Mannuthy, will soon be appointed as the nodal officer to bring both together under one roof," Mr Kumar told DC.  "His appointment is pending before the cabinet. By bringing him, we expect to get the service of KAU as well.”