COMPUTERIZATION/ MIS

Fund allotted under this item for the year 2001-2002 is Rs. 55.00 lakh.

Target:
1.    Purchase and installation of Hardware components,
2.    Software preparation and implementation upto district headquarter level,
3.    Training of personnel on computerization,
4.    Network integration between Headquarter and district and other unit level.

The target being to complete computerization of the entire information system of State Headquarter, District units (depending upon fund provision, present WAN status of the State), 3 FSBS, 9 LN Plant office units, Training Centers and also large farms etc under a Wide Area Network (WAN) system. The work has already been completed under the guidance of Information Technology Department, Government of West Bengal and the work order has been placed to M/S WEBEL Technology Ltd. - a Government of West Bengal Undertaking concern.

Application Software has already been prepared and is under trial in district level implementation. The data transmission from district and other unit level will be started after this trial within February 2004.

At present, all district head quarters, the stations/ units including three divisions of the Sanstha have been connected with Network Integration under WBSWAN of this State. A Mail Server is under installation at the head quarter of this Sanstha.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE UPTO DECEMBER 2003

Total expenditure so far has been made in this component is 65.00 Lakh. Government of India has allotted Rs. 55.00 Lakh in this item. The excess fund of Rs. 10.00 Lakh has been provided out of the State budget. This fund is required to be reimbursed during 2003-2004 so that the requirement of the Recurring expenditure may be substantiated.

DEMAND FOR FUND FOR 2003-2004 AND 2004-2005

During 2003-2004, our target is to maintain existing Network and data transfer through Application Software from all the districts and units to the State Head Quarter level and to draw tables, analyze data etc. During this year our demand is to compensate the amount of Rs. 10.00 Lakh which has already been provided out of State Budget for MIS in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004.

During the year 2004-2005, our target is to supply Hardware components to the 4 existing Training Centers (1 Training Center has already been covered during 2002-2003), Implementation of Application Software, and Network Integration etc. For this purpose our requirement is Rs. 6.00 Lakh.

SETTING UP OF NEW TRAINING CENTER

We have already established 5 residential training institutes under EFST Project, presently under our control. The list of the total number of such institutes along with strength of each center is furnished bellow.

Class of trainees:

1.    The selected private A.I. workers,
2.    The existing Government A.I. Workers,
3.    The Government supervisory officers working in the field,
4.    The Veterinary Surgeons engaged in the field,

Subjects for the Training:

1.    A.I. and allied Training for the beginners,
2.    A.I. and allied training for the existing A.I. workers,
3.    Advanced Techniques, Management practices etc. for the Government supervisory officers working n the field,
4.    Latest Technologies training for the Veterinary Surgeons engaged in the field,
5.    Trainers Training.

A good number of Private A.I. Workers have been trained in these Training Centers. The training of the existing AI workers and the trainers' training of the professionals have also been done in those training centers.

Now, the Block Livestock Development Officers and Veterinary Surgeons, the implanters and supervisors of A.I. activities will be trained in these Training Centers in collaboration with the University/ Govt. Farms/ IVRI/ NDRI in batches regularly.

Government of India allotted Rs. 60.00 Lakh for establishment of a new Training Center under this Project. We are constructing a new residential training center out of the allotted fund at Salt Lake in North 24 Parganas district. This Training Center will be equipped with modern laboratory facilities, library, literature, and equipments and appliances. This Training Center will mainly be utilized for training of the Technical Persons working in the field of A.I. with FST, Progeny Testing program and other advanced technologies in Cattle and Buffalo development in the State. The technical persons from the North Eastern States of India may also take the opportunities of training in this residential training center.

STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING TRAINING CENTERS

During Ninth Plan period fund was allotted for establishment of five new training Centers in the State under the Project Extension of Frozen Semen Technology. Each such training Center has the capacity of 30 students at a time with residential facility.

Before commencement of the NPCBB in this State, these training Centers had been utilized through conducting training of the livestock farmers and training of existing Government A.I. workers. During implementation of NPCBB, these training Centers have been engaged fully for training of Private A.I. workers, the number of which is about 2500 within the period of 2002-03 and upto December 2003.

During this year the demand of training for livestock farmers have been increased considerably. Training of existing A.I. workers has also attained due importance. The demand for conducting training of female livestock farmers has also increased. Also training of the members of Self-Help-Groups with livestock farmers (about 5500 such SHGs are functioning in the State) are found necessary.

The existing training facilities of the Animal Resources Development Department, West Bengal have been stated in page 19 of this Project report.

Considering the above, we have taken up the program to strengthen the existing five Training Centers to enhance the trainee capacity from 30 to 60 numbers at a time with residential facility for 30 female trainees separately.

Government of India allotted Rs. 10.00 Lakh during the year 2001-02 for strengthening of existing training center. We have strengthened one existing training center at Bankura and increased its trainee capacity from 30 to 60.

We have already completed tender and other formalities for the proposed work and the entire fund has been booked/ committed for the purpose. We expect that the work will be completed within short time. The seat capacity for the Trainee has been increased from 30 to 60 with the introduction of the facility of separate residential training for the female trainees.

During the year 2003-04 and 2004-05, we propose to strengthen the other existing 4 (four) training Centers to enhance the trainee capacity from 30 to 60 respectively and to create separate residential training facility for the female trainees.

TRAINING OF PRIVATE AI WORKERS

The Artificial Insemination of Cattle and Buffalo in this State had been running under the Directorate of Animal Resources and Animal Health in this State in three tier administrative system, districts, blocks and Gram Panchayats. The lowest level Government units are the Animal Development Aid Center manned by the Livestock Development Assistants. They are looking after implementation of all the activities of the Directorate like Artificial Insemination, Animal Health Care, Fodder development, Cooperative development, formation of Self-Help-Groups, family based schemes and other beneficiary oriented schemes in Gram Panchayat level.

It has been felt necessary sine long back to engage exclusive A.I. worker at GP level to get the maximum output from the AI program. Keeping in view on the limitations of the Government Centers in deploying functions twenty-four hours in a day throughout the year, engagement of private AI workers had been felt utmost necessary and during the year 2001-02, the State Government taken up the policy to train and engage private AI workers in all the Gram Panchayats so that all the breedable bovines in the State are covered with Artificial Insemination within shortest possible time.

REFRESHER TRAINING

The personnel in this field are the State Government officials like Livestock Development Assistants (LDA) at GP level - the existing Government AI Workers, Block Livestock Development Officer (BLDO) - as in-charge of the Block, Block Veterinary Surgeons (VS) at Block level, the Sub-Divisional Livestock Development Officers - the Senior Veterinary Surgeons (SVS) of the district and State head quarter level technical officers etc. They are all engaged in implementation of this program in this State. At present 2600 numbers of existing Government AI workers (LDA), 333 numbers of BLDO, 333 numbers of VS, 271 numbers of Additional VS (Block-level), 110 numbers of SVS and about 200 numbers of District level officers are to be covered in this field.

As the project is based upon a super-technical and ever developing subject, the technical personnel from grass root to State head quarter level need to be trained periodically on the advancement of the subject.

We have taken up the program to train these personnel in three divisions.

1.    Training of existing Government AI Workers,
2.    Trainers' Training within the State,
3.    Training of Professionals on advanced technologies outside the State,
4.    Training of Professionals abroad.

FARMERS' ORIENTATION

The main object to utilize this fund is to disseminate the issues on benefits of AI with Frozen Semen Technology, farming with cross bred cattle with better milk productivity, fodder cultivation and modern feeding practices for maintaining high yielding animals, steps to be taken up on animal health care, livestock farming - as an dependable option for self-employment etc. to the farmers.

During the year 2001-02, Government of India allotted Rs. 8.00 Lakh for the purpose. We have fully utilized the fund in the following manners.

1. As the fund was received in the fag end of the year 2001-02, the fund had been utilized in the year 2002-03.
2. We organized 'FARMERS' ORIENTATION CAMPS' in the Block Headquarters in this State, where farmers attended and the technical persons from Block-level, Sub-Divisional level and district level officers attended the camps, discussed with the farmers about the benefits of the cross-bred cows. Buffaloes, cross-breeding programme, AI with FST, NPCBB in West Bengal, cooperative development etc.
3. During the year 2002-03 and 2003-04, we have organized one 'Orientation Camp' in 80 Blocks. 80 numbers of camps have been organized in 80 blocks, where good numbers of farmers have attended in each camp. Total number of farmers attended is about 8 Lakh.

During the years 2001 to 2003, total amount of Rs. 8.00 has already been expended out of this fund.