The Assam government has suspended six Agriculture Department officials in Hailakandi, including the district’s in-charge District Agricultural Officer (DAO), over inadequate progress in the Farmer Registry programme.
Assistant Director of Agriculture Manoj Kumar Baishya, who was also serving as the in-charge DAO, was suspended by an order issued by the Governor under Rule 6(1) of the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, pending departmental proceedings.
The action followed a review meeting held in Hailakandi on October 29, chaired by Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and attended by the Director of Agriculture and other district officials. The review found that the district’s performance in the Farmer Registry was severely inadequate, with very few Farmer IDs generated.
The suspension order said Baishya had failed to ensure proper monitoring and supervision of the programme across the district’s agricultural circles. It also cited the absence of field-level officials during crucial enrolment drives and the failure to meet assigned targets.
The five other suspended officials were Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) Rajibul Hoque Mullah of Lala (HQ) Circle, Priyanku Mazumder of Lala Bazar Circle, Madhurjya Hazarika of Boalipar Circle, Akashdeep Karigapsa of Hailakandi Circle and Aditya Bezbaruah of Katlichara Circle.
According to the department’s notifications, the five ADOs were responsible for organising enrolment camps, mobilising farmers and supervising field-level functionaries in their respective jurisdictions. However, they were allegedly absent from field duties for several days, affecting the registration drive.
All six suspensions were ordered under Rule 6(1) of the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, pending departmental proceedings.
During the suspension period, Baishya’s headquarters will be the Office of the Joint Director of Agriculture in Silchar, while the five ADOs will remain attached to the Office of the District Agricultural Officer in Hailakandi. None will be allowed to leave their respective headquarters without prior permission from the competent authority. They have also been barred from undertaking private employment or business during the suspension.
Meanwhile, Minister Pijush Hazarika stressed that government officials could not be placed above the farmers they were appointed to serve, referring to the action against the five ADOs.
The Farmer Registry is a time-bound initiative of the Centre and the Assam government to create a farmers’ database through unique Farmer IDs. The action followed the state government’s push to speed up enrolment and improve the delivery of agricultural services at the grassroots level.
