Agriculture department clarifies on pending ATMA salary

Dimapur, Sep. 6 (EMN): Department of Agriculture on Monday clarified about allegations made about the salary of ATMA under Extension Reforms scheme.

The department claimed that it had already paid the salary for April 2021 to the genuine ATMA personnel from the last financial year (2020—21), by foregoing the earmarked components and cafeteria of activities ,which could not be taken up in time  on account of Covid-19 pandemic.

“The aforesaid gesture has been made by the department keeping in mind the ATMA personnel’s welfare pending release of the 1st installment for the current financial year(2021-22),” it read.

“With regard to the non-payment of salaries for the current year (2021-22), the State Government received the sanction order Vide No.F.No.36-1/2017-AE/Extn.Desk dated 09th June 2021 from the Ministry of Agriculture & FW, Krishi Bhawan,GoI. Subsequently, The GoN, Finance Department issued the drawal authority Vide letter No.BUD/S-48/2021-22/383 dated 27th July 2021.

 “In the meantime, the GoI letter issued an OM dated March 23, 2021;procedure for release of funds under CSS and monitoring of the funds released and its utilization through PFMS, directing the State Government to designate a Single Nodal Agency (SNA) for implementation of each CSS scheme w.e.f 1st July 2021,” it read.

It further stated that the department was in the process activating the new system i.e. the PFMS in due compliance of the OM, due to which the ATMA salaries were pending.

It therefore stated that there was no deliberate intention, negligence or dereliction of duty on the part of the SNO/department for non-payment of salary, it added.