Call to fill posts in agriculture dept

LAHORE:Permanent merit-based appointments should be made in Punjab Agriculture Department to deliver and enhance productivity of this important sector coupled with achieving the goal of result-oriented research work, a farmer body demanded here on Tuesday.

Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) identified what it called a great anomaly in the agriculture research system of Punjab where incompetent junior officers are posted at higher position to please someone or simply due to political pressure, financial gain/corruption or on favoritism for years, said PKI president Khalid Mahmood Khokhar. Such arrangement is allowed only for stopgap arrangement for a period of 3 to 6 months, but officers on such postings for longer period aim to praise their boss or senior officer instead of proving their competence or delivering tangible results, he said.

As many as 21 posts of directors of important Research Institutes of Agriculture Department, Punjab are lying vacant since long and these are occupied by junior scientists on Additional/Look After/Own pay & scale in addition to their own responsibilities. These include post of Director Agri (Research), AARI, Faisalabad which lacks permanent posting since 30.06.2012, Director, Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha since 31.10.2016, Director, Vegetable Res. Institute, Faisalabad since 04.08.2015, Director, Maize and Millets Research Institute, Sahiwal since 04.05.2016, Director, Oilseeds Research Institute, Faisalabad since 26.01.2017, Director, Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad since 30.09.2017, Director, Cotton Research Institute, Multan since 29.03.2016, Director, Potato Research Institute, Sahiwal since 23.12.2014, Director, Arid Zone Research Institute, Bhakkar since 31.10.2015, Director, Regional Agri. Research Institute, Bahawalpur since 20.04.2017, Director, Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad since 13.08.2016, Director, Agronomic Research Institute, Faisalabad since 14.03.2016, Director, Plant Pathology Research Institute, Faisalabad since 04.05.2015, Director, Institute of Soil Chemistry & Environment Sciences, Kala Shah Kaku since 01.11.2015, Director, Soil & Water Conservation Research Institute, Chakwal since 15.10.2015, Director, Soil Salinity Research Institute Pindi Bhattian since 24.05.2015, Director, Horticultural Research Institute, Faisalabad since 31.01.2018, Director, Mango Research Institute, Multan since 19.07.2016, Director, Post-Harvest Research Centre, Faisalabad since 26.08.2017, Director, Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku since 22.10.2018 and Director, Barani Agricultural Research Institute, Chakwal since 25.10.2018, he said.

These directors are considered leaders of professional teams and responsible for planning & execution of research programme and technology transfer of important research institutes including wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, oilseed, vegetables. Our economy is agriculture-based and junior offices or irrelevant officers are appointed as directors of these important crops. This situation badly affecting R&D activities of these institutes, Khokhar lamented.

Further the post of Chief Executive, Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB), Lahore is vacant since 22.10.2018 and posts of Member of PARB are also vacant.

The PARB has an effective Competitive Grant System (CGS) for funding output oriented agricultural research projects. The unavailability of CE & Members is impeding ongoing activities of PARB funded projects and funding to new research proposals, he said.

Pakistan Kissan Ittehad demand that this anomaly be rectified immediately and right man for the right job strategy be prevailed by appointing the deserving scientists on the posts of directors in Punjab. Secondly, post of Chief Executive and members of PARB be appointed on regular basis. So that activities of these important Research Institutes and PARB may regain their pace, it said.