War of words erupts between fisheries & animal husbandry departments over resources

NEW DELHI: The newly created Department of Fisheries (DoF) is caught in a war of words over resource distribution with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), of which it was a part before the presentation of Budget this year.

In a strongly worded letter, the DoF has complained to the DAHD that the staff allocation is severely inadequate in comparison to staff allocated to the DoF at the time of transfer of fisheries department to the DAHD in 1997.

“There are 57% vacancies among the staff transferred to the DoF. Further staff allocation has been effected without consulting the DoF,” the letter read.

The DoF also complained about the paucity of space allocated to the department saying that the space is not adequate even to outsource the services of retired government servants to manage the work.

The DoF has written to the DAHD that the Budget earmarking from the combined Budget of 2019-20 has been effected without consulting the DoF.

In a point-wise reply, the DAHD said, “The tone and tenor of language used by the DoF should have been more palatable.”

It said that there was no cut in the manpower and that the immediate action was to transfer the technical manpower exclusively belonging to the fisheries department. “While transferring manpower, it has been ensured that there is no cut in the resources already available with the DoF. In fact, some more posts along with manpower over and above what was already available have been provided to the DoF,” the DAHD said in the letter.

The DAHD said that it is also suffering from a paucity of space. It said that the agriculture department had not provided enough space to the DAHD despite repeated requests. “DAHD is already facing acute shortage of space. Hence, DoF will have to take necessary steps at their own with various agencies to fulfil further requirement of space,” the DAHD wrote to the DoF.

On Budget allocation, the DAHD said that the DoF had been provided Rs 10.74 crore towards 14 different heads, which is almost 23% of the total Budget provision. “This has been done in a very systemised and rationale manner, keeping allocated staff strength and other factors in view, and in consultation with the Internal Finance Division,” the DAHD replied.