BHUBANESWAR : In a move that may have far-reaching implications on farmers, the Centre has decided to immediately shut down district agro met units (DAMUs) set up across 199 districts of the country.
A joint initiative of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the DAMUs have been functioning at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) since 2018.
The IMD, in a recent communication to ICAR, made it clear that DAMUs will not function beyond the current fiscal. “District agro met units will not be extended beyond the current financial year 2023-24. Necessary action for discontinuation of services of the units and winding up the existing 199 centres need to be taken in such a way that all dues of salary as well as other expenses are cleared before end of the financial year,” said the letter accessed by TNIE.
Apart from disseminating weather forecast, the DAMUs provide agro meteorological service advisory to farmers - from sowing to harvest as well as ground-level area specific solutions in both local and English languages benefiting lakhs of farmers.
Before DAMUs were set up, there were 130 agro met centres functioning under agriculture universities across the country to provide weather forecast to farmers at the district level. In 2018, the ICAR collaborated with the IMD to expand agro met advisory service network to block levels following the advancement of observational network and forecasting technology. Altogether 199 district units were set up at KVKs including 110 aspirational districts through Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI) as part of Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva launched under sub-scheme Atmospheric and Climate Research Modelling Observing System and Services (ACROSS) by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Centre to shut down district agro met units
Buoyed by the initial success of such units, it was decided to set up a total 530 DAMUs covering all districts of the country by the year end which is why the decision to shut them down has come as a bolt from the blue for farmers. Besides, the fate of around 400 employees, including 200 scientists, now hangs in balance with no clarity on their future service or re-engagement.
“The units helped enhance agriculture output and farm income besides reducing the load of crop insurance premium under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. As per the initial agreement, the scheme was to continue till 2026,” said an official privy to the development.
Director General of IMD Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the meteorological department has nothing to do with the decision which has been taken as per the advice of the Ministry of Finance. “Weather forecasts and related information will now be provided by Agriculture department through the 130 agro met centres functioning under agriculture universities,” he added.