Cash-starved ATMA fails to pay salary to workers

Gagandeep Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28

The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) has been running without development funds for the past more than two months.

It is not for the first time that ATMA is going through such crisis. Prior to this, the agency was issued development funds, including the salaries of employees after five months. More than 500 employees have not received their salaries for more than two months.

As many as 30 workers in Jalandhar are yet to receive about Rs 20 lakh of their salaries for the past five months. ATMA was launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture that is responsible for all technology dissemination activities at the district level. An ATMA worker wishing anonymity said the paddy transplantation season was round the corner, but due unavailability of funds, they were unable to carry out farmer training programmes.

Joint Director Dr Parminder Singh Aulakh said no employee had ever complained of working without salary. Chief Agriculture Officer, Jalandhar, Dr Suttantar Kumar said the head office had already asked for the details of salaries and other development funds. It was expected to be issued soon.