Uttarakhand horticulture suffers amid staff shortage

Pauri: Uttarakhand wants to follow the footstep of Himachal Pradesh to transform it into a horticulture hub. The sector is key to preventing migration issues because the horticulture sector is replete with employment opportunities. However, the horticulture sector has been facing some difficulties in the state, such as a lack of sufficient staff, so work could not be done on time, leaving the state backward in horticulture.

In Pauri district, 64% of the positions in the Horticulture Department remain vacant. Out of 342 sanctioned posts, only 120 are filled, while 222 have been vacant for years. The department plays a crucial role in implementing government welfare schemes on the ground, but the shortage of officers and employees makes it difficult to achieve this.

The Horticulture Department in Pauri operates with a minimal number of staff, putting additional pressure on the existing employees. Several key positions have remained unfilled for years. The most critical shortage is in the roles of supervisors and gardeners, which are essential for the department’s functioning.

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There are nine nurseries under the Horticulture Department in Pauri and Kotdwar, of which six are active, producing seeds and saplings. However, three nurseries, located in Chamali, Dana Damrada, and Chametha, have been lying barren for years due to the lack of staff.

The dearth of staff has affected the monitoring of schemes as well as innovation and experimentation in the field. The added burden on the current workforce also impacts the quality of developmental work, making it difficult to achieve the government’s horticulture goals in the region.