AASOA demands for filling up Agri-Horti Director's post with AAS officer

GUWAHATI: The Assam Agricultural Service Officers' Association (AASOA) has demanded the filling up of the posts Director of Agriculture and Director of Horticulture and Food Processing with the senior officers of the Assam Agriculture Service (AAS).

In the press statement, the AASOA said "The present incumbent Director of Horticulture and Food Processing is going to retire on January 31, 2021. As the post of Director Agriculture and the Director of Horticulture and Food Processing come under the AAS and are to be handled by senior officers having qualification of degree in agricultural science with experience of Administration in agriculture, such posts should be filled up with them. Both the directors are the lead persons under whose technical guidance, Agri-Horti technical management and Agri-Horti extension services progress. Therefore, it is imperative that both the directors should have thorough knowledge in agricultural farming system and modern innovations which are very essential for the development in Agri-Horti sector and the welfare of the farmers."

It added, "It has been noticed that during the last four years the post of Director of Agriculture has been manned by five IAS/ACS cadre officers without having in-depth knowledge in Agricultural Science which has hampered steering the department to a new heights. Therefore, in order to make available benefits of modern agriculture and for the greater interest of the farming community of the State the Association strongly demands the Government to place a senior Agricultural professional of Assam Agriculture Service (AAS) as the Director of Horticulture and Food Processing on retirement of the present incumbent."