The State government has cleared a ₹30-crore proposal for constructing an Integrated Administrative Hub for the Agriculture department and allied farm sector agencies.
The government, through a November 24 order, has accorded administrative sanction for spending an amount “not exceeding ₹30 crore” for building the hub and a Farmers’ Service Centre on an Agriculture department land at Anayara in the State capital.
The project is set to come up on land under the Agricultural Urban Wholesale Market at Anayara. Envisaged as a common administrative facility, the hub would bring the department and allied agencies under one umbrella in a modernised office environment. Such a facility would also guarantee prompt and efficient services to the farming community, according to the department.
In 24 months
The November 24 government order also says that the construction should be completed in 24 months. Through its order, the government has cleared a proposal submitted by the Director, Agriculture department, in September this year.
A nine-member panel with the Agriculture Production Commissioner as convener has been tasked with overseeing the implementation of the multi-crore project.
Amid financial crunch
That said, the project has been cleared at a time when the State government is experiencing a financial crisis and the departments of Civil Supplies and Agriculture had drawn flak over the delay in payment of the paddy procurement price to farmers.
More recently, citing the troubling financial situation, the Finance department had extended the curbs on government spending in certain areas by another year. The curbs, which first came into effect during the COVID-19 pandemic, apply to refurbishment of government buildings and purchase of furniture and vehicles for government institutions and offices.
