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INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY The National Agriculture
Policy lays emphasis on the use of Information Technology for achieving a
more rapid development of agriculture in India. In pursuance thereof, the
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation has formulated and
implementing Information Technology (IT) Vision 2020.
This vision inter alia envisages that (a) Information relating to
agriculture sector would be available to the ultimate users - the farmers,
for optimizing their productivity and income; (b) extension and advisory
services making use of information technology would be available to the
farmers on round the clock basis; (c) the tools for information technology
will provide networking of agriculture sector not only in the country but
also globally and the Union and State Government Departments will have
reservoirs of data base; and (d) the long term Vision on ‘Information
Technology in Agriculture Sector’ is to bring farmers, researchers,
Scientists and Administrators together by establishing ‘Agriculture
on-line’ through exchange of ideas/information.
The following IT schemes with an outlay of Rs. 100,00,00
(Rupees in thousands) has been provided during Tenth Five Year Plan
period:-
I. Central Sector Scheme of Strengthening/promoting Agricultural Information System with the following components: On-going
(i) IT apparatus in DAC Headquarters (ii) IT apparatus in the field offices and Directorates of DAC New
(iii) Development of Agricultural Informatics and Communication
(iv)
Agricultural Resources Information Systems (AgRIS)
These components are explained below:
(i)
IT Apparatus in DAC Headquarters Under
this component, Local Area Network (LAN) has been established in Krishi
Bhavan and Shastri Bhavan with the assistance of the National Informatics
Centre (NIC). The website of
this Department was launched on 13th April 1999 and can be
visited on the address: http://agricoop.nic.in.
A multimedia Access Kiosk has been installed at Krishi Bhavan for
providing information to the public. PCs have been provided to all the
officers from the level of Section Officer and above.
Video conferencing facility has been established in the Department.
Training in computers including office automation is being provided on all
working days to officers and staff of the Department. During the year
2001-2002, 34 women employees of the department have also been imparted
computer training. During
2002-03 (upto December, 2002) 24 women employees have been imparted
computer training, MS Office HP (Professional) loaded to PCs.
The Department has the following centralized e-mail address: agrindia@krishi.nic.in.
A minimum agenda for e-governance is also under implementation with
the assistance and support of NIC. The
website of the Department is updated regularly with the assistance of
National Informatics Centre. (ii) IT Apparatus in the Field Offices and
Directorates of DAC Similarly, as
part of the objective for accelerated use of Information Technology, a
Central Sector Scheme for strengthening the use of IT tools and for
networking of the field offices and Directorates (DACNET) was launched
with signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 12th
September, 2001 by Department of Agriculture and Cooperation and
National Informatics Centre (NIC) .
The total cost of the scheme is
Rs.18,39,00 (Rupees in thousands).
The scheme envisages total computerization of the activities of
main field offices and linking them with the headquarters of the
Department in New Delhi through VSAT communications.
Much headway has been made in the implementation of the Scheme
in-as-much as a large number of officers/staff including 340 women
employees have been given computer training.
Besides, software development requirement in respect of most of the
Directorates has also been received and is in the process of being
finalized. (iii) Development of Agricultural Informatics and Communication The
objective of this new component is to build up a reservoir of all data
related to Agriculture and development of Web enabled applications of DAC
home page, DAC portal and specific training programme on software packages
developed for various Divisions, Data warehousing, Decision Support
Systems, Application Software, Portals, e-Commerce, Data Management and
Training. Proposed training
programme will be conducted at Electronic Research & Development
Centre of India, Regional Computer Centre, Anna University Centre and
National Informatics Centre, etc.
Keeping in view the tremendous potential for growth in the field of
IT in agriculture, it is proposed to take up a scheme for “Development
of Agricultural Informatics and Communication” with the objective to
create an effective Agriculture Information System and for bridging the
gap between knowledge and practices among agriculture scientists,
administrators and farming community.
The major thrust is to develop various IT applications in the
agriculture sector for reaching the farmers by undertaking various IT
related activities. (iv)
Agricultural Resources Information System (AgRIS): The Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation is responsible for implementation and
formulation of national polices and programmes to achieve agricultural
growth through optimum utilization of these natural resources.
The proposal is based on content development using GIS and RS
technology with a view to designing and developing IT applications so as
to reach the farming community by setting up of a Project Directorate and
to develop Agricultural Resources Information System on various topologies
in identified Districts as a pilot project. Development
of Decision Support Systems facilitating Agricultural Resources Management
are envisaged using the state-of-the-art IT tools. II. Central Sector Scheme of
Strengthening of IT Apparatus in Agriculture and Cooperation in the States
and Union Territories (AGRISNET)
In order to make “agriculture on line”, this Department
proposes to implement a new Scheme of strengthening IT/promotion of
Informatics in the Departments dealing with agriculture including
cooperatives in all the States and Union Territories (AGRISNET). It is
proposed to network offices of the Agriculture Departments of the States
and Union Territories up to the District level under this scheme. This
scheme would facilitate more effective and coordinated implementation of
developmental schemes for agriculture and cooperation all over the country
for the benefit of the farmers. The scheme will have the following main
components: (i) The state-of-the art IT infrastructural requirements to establish AGRISNET upto the District level; (ii) Strengthening/promoting Use of IT and its application; (iii) Effective implementation of “e-Governance” up to the District level; (iv) Establishment of “Agriculture on-line”; (v) IT empowerment; (vi) Development of Databases, Decision Support Systems and Web enabled application; (vii)
IT enabled services for the benefit of farmers. Implementation of this scheme will facilitate data transfer and improve efficiency by incorporating Decision Support Systems. Activities in North East Region Under the IT Apparatus in the field offices and Directorates of DAC (DACNET), the following offices in the North Eastern Region are being networked; Directorate of Marketing & Inspection at Guwahati and Shillong, Central Integrated Pest Management Centres at Guwahati, Aizawal, Dimapur and Gangtok; Regional Biofertiliser Development Centre at Imphal and North Eastern Regional Farm Machinery, Testing and Training Institute, Sonitpur, Assam. A sum of Rs.50,00 (Rupees in thousands) has been provided for this portion of the DACNET project. ANNEXURE
II WOMEN
IN AGRICULTURE
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