Agri technocrats eye top dept post after rules’ amendment

Recent amendments to the recruitment and promotion rules for senior officials in the Agriculture Department have opened the door for departmental officials to get the post of Agriculture Director. Until now, the state government had been appointing state and Indian Administrative Services officers to this key position. However, the newly introduced changes will now allow officials from the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Services (HPAS) to be promoted to this prestigious post.

The move has been welcomed by leaders from the HPAS, including Dr Ravinder Sharma, president of the HPAS Association, and Rakesh Naik, general secretary, along with Dr Seema Kansal, the union’s finance secretary. They expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, and other officials for making this amendment.

Dr Sharma explained that the new rules allow an additional director to become eligible for the director’s post after just six months of serving in that capacity, instead of the previous requirement of one year. This change will enable many officers to attain the position of agriculture director before reaching retirement age.

The demand for such a reform had been long-standing, as agri-technocrats who join as agriculture development officers often could not rise to the top position despite having 25 to 30 years of service. These professionals, who hold a minimum qualification of an MSc in agriculture, are well-equipped to manage the department due to their specialised training and extensive field experience.

In addition, the union has requested the elevation of the Additional Director of the Agriculture Department to the position of Agriculture Director, as they now meet the new eligibility criteria. Ravinder Singh Jasrotia, Additional Director for Subhash Palekar Natural Farming, is also expected to qualify for the director’s post soon. This amendment is seen as a significant step in recognising and promoting the expertise of agri technocrats within the department.