Way back in 1952 i.e., almost with
the inception of planning in India, the idea was mooted to establish
Agro-Economic Research Centre for each state to serve as the catalyst of region
specific agricultural transformation. It was one of the earliest institutional
efforts to propagate and interweave knowledge based farming to a specific
region.
The idea was soon translated with the setting up of a set of four Agro-Economic
Research Centres in 1954. It was decided upon that one Agro-Economic Research
Centre for every state would be set up in stages. The Agro-Economic Research
Centre for Bihar was set up as late as on 30th March 1996 pursuant to the
Gazette Notification No 5-6/84-RC-ES/EA dated 01-12/03/1996 made by the
Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Department of Agriculture &
Co-operation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi,
sanctioned by the President of India. Obviously in terms of waiting period,
Bihar had to suffer the birth pangs for forty four long years. In terms of
position, Bihar was pushed lower down to number fifteen. Prior to the inception
of this Centre, agro-economic problems related to a large state like Bihar
(undivided), with different agro-economic zones, were covered by Agro-Economic
Research Centres of Vishwa-Bharati and Allahabad.
The honour of bearing the 11th child of the policy of "One Agro-Economic
Research Centre for Every State" has been stolen by T M Bhagalpur University,
Bhagalpur, Bihar. T M Bhagalpur University had a long tradition of teaching and
research in rural problems under the University Department of Rural Economics &
Co-operation and its tradition facilitated, rather clinched the issue in favour
of the choice of T M Bhagalpur University as the location of
Agro-Economic Research Centre
for Bihar & Jharkhand.
The AERC, T. M. Bhagalpur University has been assigned the following
functions by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India :-
-
To conduct investigation into
specific agro-economic problems which are of
special interest to the Ministry either at micro or macro level.
-
To carry out research works on structural changes and fundamental
problems
of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development of the country; and
-
To
give technical advice to the Union Government and States on such issues
as with mutual agreement may be referred to them.
Besides, the Centre will also conduct
ad-hoc investigations into problems in which the State or Central Government is
specially interested.
The area of operation of the Agro-Economic Research Centre, T. M. Bhagalpur University Bhagalpur is the states of Bihar & Jharkhand. Prior to the inception of the Centre,
Agro-Economic problems related to undivided
Bihar State were covered by AERC, Vishwa-Bharati and AERC, Allahabad.
Staffing Pattern
The staffing pattern of the Centre as
approved by the Empowered Committee of the Ministry consists of 26 Technical and
Non-Technical staff. But at the initial stage,
appointment of only 7 Technical and 4 Non - Technical staff, viz. Director - 1,
Deputy Director - 1, Research Officers - 2, Research Associates - 3,
and Office Superintendent - 1, Accounts Assistant - 1, Typist - 1 and
Peon - 1
was approved by the Ministry which have already been filled up.
As per directives of the Ministry of
Agriculture, Government of India, the centre has a Technical
Advisory Committee (TAC) to provide technical guidance and
monitor research performance of the Centre. The Committee consists of Economic
& Statistical Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India,
Agricultural
Production Commissioner/ Secretary of Government of Bihar and Jharkhand besides three expert
members from the discipline of Economics/Agricultural Economics. The Director of
the Centre is the Convener and the Vice-Chancellor is the Chairman of the
Committee. The day-to-day administration of the Centre is carried out by the
Director and the
Registrar of the University is the drawing and disbursing officer of the Centre.
All other administrative aspects of the Centre are subject to the same
statutory provisions as are applicable to other limbs of the University. For
this purpose, it was laid down as one of the pre-conditions that the Centre
would function as a separate department of the University, already notified by T.
M. Bhagalpur University (Notification No. 101/99 dated 21.05.99) and as such, the
staff of the Centre are at par with regular employees of the University and they
are subject to the same terms and conditions as applicable to other regular
staff.
The nascent Centre for Bihar has done a creditable job during the short span of
existence. The Centre has just completed sixteen years of inception with full of research activities. During the short
span, the Centre has undertaken various studies of national importance. A
year-wise profile of research activities of Agro-Economic Research Centre for
Bihar & Jharkhand may be seen at activities.
