BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is mulling over a proposal of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department to re-organise the Directorate of Horticulture by restructuring the existing cadres and framing statistical service.

Systematic and structured approach in horticulture development came into being in the State after the Horticulture Directorate was separated from Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production in 1977.

Though the State Government had restructured the cadre of horticulture officers and subordinate staff in 2012-13, no change in staff strength of the directorate has been made since its inception.

With an initial budget of about Rs 1.21 crore, the directorate had started with an establishment officer, one accounts officer and five sections comprising as many officers and 21 senior assistants. 

In a proposal to the Agriculture department, Director of Horticulture Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya said after the last cadre restructuring, the directorate is facing difficulties in managing multifarious works related to schemes, establishment and court cases which needs to be redressed at the earliest. 

A designated cadre of extension personnel, though inadequate, was put in place in 1989 and revised in 2012. It needs further revision keeping in view the demand of the situation and workload. The horticulture officers’ association has also demanded for another restructuring of their cadre, he stated.

Even as data collection and analysis are necessary in the age of information technology for future guidance, there are no earmarked staff available for statistical survey and analysis of horticultural data so far as plantation, infrastructure, value addition and marketing is concerned.  

Creation of 30 posts of statistical assistant, six of statistical investigator, three of senior research assistant and one post each of horticulture statistician and chief horticulture statistician has been proposed.  

Horticulture has invariably improved the economic status of farmers. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are now available round the year, thereby increasing the per capita consumption. It has also played a significant role in women empowerment, providing employment opportunities through mushroom cultivation, floriculture, processing, nursery raising and vegetable seed production.

With farmers accepting horticulture crops as a major source of income, annual budgetary provisions for the directorate have now reached Rs 600 crore. The directorate is now handling nine State plan and 12 Centrally-sponsored schemes.