Organization  and Management

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT AT DISTRICT LEVEL :  Agricultural  Technology and management agency(ATMA)  would serve  as a focal point for integrating research and extension activities ,and for decentralization day to day management of the public agricultural technological system A(R-E)unit within the project district including KVKs,ZRS or substations ,and the key line departments including the Department of Agriculture (DOA) ,Animal  Husbandry (DAH), Horticulture(DOH) etc ,would become the constituent member of ATMA. Each (R-E )unit would retain its institutional identity and affiliation but programs and procedures concerning district wise R-E activities would be determined by governing board of the ATMA ,to be implemented by its Management Committee.

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT AT BLOCK LEVEL:

BTC :At block level, Block Technology Center (BTC)a multi-diciplinary technology team has has been assigned to organize and implement extension programs within the block .In effect ,the BTC would result in the functional integration of extension activities within the block and ,in effect ,become the operational arm of ATMA .This center would become common meeting point for extension personnel from the line department to prepare integrated work plan (WPs) and coordinate their implementation .

FAC :It has also been proposed to establish the farmer advisory committee (FAC) under the chairmanship of president of the  panchyat samiti and which would include 10 to 12 members representing all major stake holders within the block .The FAC would help to set block extension priorities and recommended resource  allocation across the program area .

OPERATIONAL MODALITIES 

Planning and financial procedures: The BTC team would prepare seasonal work plan (WPs)and budgets that would outline extension and farmer training activities to be undertaken during the coming season . These co-ordinated plan must address key constraints and opportunities outlined  within the SREP if they are to be funded by ATMA.In addition the officer -in-charge (OIC) would  be responsible for coordinating these proposed block level extension activities and for submission to ATMA.The OIC and FAC chair from each block would jointly present these extension plan to  the ATMA Management committee (ie. Technology Management Team ) prior to their submission to the ATMA GB for approval .In case of programmatic disagreements between the TMT and the block technology team ,then this issue would be resolved by the GB .

The district level line departments and research units would also prepare seasonal or annual WPs to (1) maintain diagnostic and support service (e.g. soil testing laboratories )within the district ,(2)organize in service training and technical support activities for the blocks and field level extension staff ,and (3)carry out adaptive and farming system research programs .In addition, it would surprise the implementation of block- level WPs.

Once a WP has been approved by the GB ,then the ATMA project director would for a check to the OIC in each block to cover the budgeted cost of approved extension programs. The OIC would maintain a bank account and funds would be allocated to each BTC member in implementing there approved program of extensions activities .The OIC and chair of FAC would sign all disbursement cheques .The OIC would be responsible for maintaining complete financial record ,including expenditure receipts ,for approved extension activities .Also ,the OIC would periodically submit detailed financial records to ATMA. The flow of funds to individual blocks would be suspended if financial records are not submitted to ATMA in accordance with agreed upon procedures

Operational Procedure: All BTC team members would continue to be employed by there respective line departments ,but they would function as a multi disciplinary technology team or working group that would address  the fore main programmatic thrust within the SREP in designing and implementing an integrated extension program. Village extension workers (VEWs) would have prime responsibility for day to day program implementation ,with BTC team members assisting with demonstration plots installation ,teaching farmers ,training  courses , and conducting farm 

OS) would supervise the day-to-day work of the VEWs with technical supervision and support coming from the BTC team . The goal of this proposed new arrangement    is to create an integrated and single window extension system.