CS stresses on utilisation of funds

State chief secretary, J. Alam on Friday, asked the departments to ensure that funds were being properly utilised and that the schemes were reaching eligible beneficiaries.
According to a DIPR report, CS was speaking at the review meeting with departments of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources, Land Resources and Soil & Water Conservation in the conference hall of the CS, civil secretariat, Kohima.
At the meeting, F&AR department informed that during 2021-2022, fish production of 9,151 MT was achieved and 280 lakh fish seeds were supplied to fish farmers at subsidised rate.
The target of the department is to achieve 11 kg per capita consumption by 2030 and to achieve 22,000 MT fish production by 2030. The department also pointed out shortage of technical staff and vehicles.
The department said unless commercial fish farming was tried, the production would be low.
CS advised on identifying areas of common fish farming and pointed out poor quality of data. In this regard, he suggested GIS to be used for comprehensive data. LRD said the state had high potential for coffee plantation and the target stood at 50,000 hectares. It informed that 21 coffee bars have been established in the state, with the department providing the machineries.
On shortage of technical staff, it said that conversion of excess casual staff to technical staff was not feasible as casual staff did not possess required qualifications. CS pointed out that either the activities of the department should increase or the strength of the staff should be reduced.
He advised the department to focus on cadre review properly and to address the problems there. In its PowerPoint presentation, S&WC department highlighted objectives and various schemes of the department. The department said proposal for upgradation of State Soil & Conservation Research & Training Centre at Sechu-Zubza to Regional Centre was being discussed.
CS asked the department to implement the Digital Agriculture Mission under National E-Governance Plan Agriculture scheme as it would involve many departments and agencies. He said that soil testing works were going well at the directorate and the districts, and asked the department to make sure that operation, maintenance and service remained active in the long run. The meeting concluded with Alam advising the departments to carry out proper publicity and advertisement of schemes.