ABOUT ATMA >> •  What is ATMA ? ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agriculture development in the  district. It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralizing day-to- day management of the  public Agricultural Technology System (ATS). It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district  level.   As a whole the ATMA would be a facilitating agency rather than implementing Agency. The funds allotted for ATMA  includes Establishment of ATMA office at district headquarters, strengthening of line departments by providing infrastructural  facilities, establishing FIACs  The ATMA will not encourage any practice or program which, the line departments were already initiated. With the  minimum budget, ATMA can introduce or demonstrate some of the programs as innovative model, which can be replicated by  farmers’ organizations.  •  Why ATMA ? The ATMA at district level would be increasingly responsible for all technology dissemination activities at the district  level. It would have linkage with all the line departments, research organization, non-governmental organizations and  agencies associated with agricultural development in the district. Research and Extension units with in the project district  such as ZRS or substations, KVK and the key line departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Fisheries,  Forestry etc. would become constituent members of ATMA.  Each Research-Extension (R-E) unit would retain its institutional  identity and affiliation but program and procedures concerning district-wise R-E activities would be determined by ATMA  Governing Board (GB) to be implemented by its Management Committee (AMC)  •  Rules and Regulations of ATMA : Name of the Society : The name of the Society is 'Agricultural Technology Management Agency', hereinafter called 'ATMA'.  Location of the Office : The Registered office of the ATMA should be located at District Collectorate.  Interpretation : The following expressions should have the following meaning unless inconsistent with subject or contest: a)  'Governing Board' should mean the body as constituted under these rules. b) The 'Chairman' should mean the Chairman of  the Society referred to in the regulations. c) The 'Project Director' should mean the Project Director cum Treasure of the  Society referred to in these Regulations.  Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) /Governing Board :  There should be a Governing Board of the Society and its position would be as mentioned below :  1. District Magistrate / Collector - Chairman   2. Chief Executive Officer / Chief Development Officer Vice - Chairman   3. Joint Director (Agri.) / Deputy Director (Agri.) of the District Member  4. Representative of Zonal Research Station Krishi Vigayan Kendra - Member  5. Lead Bank Officer of the District - Member     6. One representative of District Industries Center (DIC) - Member           7. One representa-tive of Agricultural Marketing Board - Member   8. One farmer representative - Member   9. One livestock producer - Member   10.  One horticulture farmer - Member   11. One representative from Fisheries / Sericul-ture farmer. - Member   12.  One representative of Women Farmer Interest Group (FIG) - Member   13.  One representative of SC / ST farmer - Member   14.  One representative of NGO - Member   15.  One representa-tive of Input Supplying Association - Member   16.  Project Director, ATMA Member Secretary-cum Treasure (Ex-Officer ) - Member.  Appointment, Nomination and Tenure of Members :  • Non-official member of the Governing Board (G.B) will be appointed for the period of two years by Agricultural  Production Commissioner / Secretary (Agriculture) of the state on the recommendation of the Chairman of the  Governing Board. The member shall hold office for two years unless the Governing board. The member shall hold  office for two years unless the authority which nominated / appointed /co-opted them terminates their membership  earlier. No non-official member shall serve for more than two years.  • If any of the non-official member nominated by the Agriculture production Commissioner / Secretary (Agriculture) fails  to attend three consecutive meetings, he/she shall cease to be a member of the Governing Board and the Governing  Board and the Governing Board shall appoint another member in his/her place for the remaining part of the two years  period with the prior approval of the Agricultural Production Commissioner / Secretary (Agricultural).   • If any non-official member nominated by Agricultural Production Commissioner / Secretary Agricultural fails to carry  his/her duties properly or found interfering with the day to day working of the agency the Governing Board may  terminate his / her term by a resolution and nominate another member with the prior approval of Agricultural  Production Commissioner / Secretary (Agriculture).   • Some initial appointments would be staggered to ensure that about two thirds of the members would carry Over for an  additional year on the Governing Board.   • Persons who sign the Memorandum of Association of the society shall be the first members of the society duly  admitted.   • Whenever a member desires to resign from the membership of the society, he shall address his resignation to the  Chairman of the society (ATMA) and present it to him. His resignation shall take effort only after the acceptance by the  Chairman of the Society.   • When a person becomes or is appointed or is nominated as a member of the society will terminate when he cease to  hold that office and the vacancy so caused shall be filled by his successor to that office.   • Any vacancy is the membership of the society either by request or under article 5(g) of these regulations or otherwise  shall be filled by appointment or nomination or cooperation by the Authority of institution entitled to do so, as the case  may be.   • A member of the Society shall cease to be a member if he becomes insolvent or of unsound mind or is convicted of a  criminal offense involving moral turpitude.   • Each member of the society shall have one vote.   • The Society further admit members subject to the approval of the Technology Dissemination Manage-ment Committee  (TDMC) constitute in the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agri-culture Government of India, New  Delhi.   • The Society shall maintain a roll of members at the registered office and every member shall sign the roll and state  therein his occupation and address.   • It shall be incumbent upon a member of the society to notify to the project Director any change of his address.   • The Society shall enter into the registered of membership, the following particulars. (i) Name and address of each  member. (ii) The date on which the member was admitted; and (iii) The date on which the member ceased to be a  member.  Appointment of Officials :  • The Project Director would be appointed by the Agriculture Production Commissioner / Secretary (Agriculture) of the  state in consultation with the Governing Board of ATMA. The officer so considered and appointed should be suitably  senior so as to lead a multi-disciplinary team of perso-nnel of the ATMA Management Committee and may be selected  from offices working within or outside the district and having experience in extension / development work in agriculture  and allied fields. He would work on the project on full time basis and will act as the member Secretary -cum Treasurer  in whom the execuitive authority of the Agency will vest. Initially, the appointment shall be for one year subject to the  extension for two years each in two slots, the total period not exceeding 5 years for an incumbent.   • The Chairman would then seek the concurrence of Cadre Controlling Authority for placing the services of selected  officer on deputation with ATMA.  The Project Director of the Society on behalf of the Governing Board, with the approval of the Governing Board,  shall perform the following function :  • To discharge day to day function of the society as per the objectives of the society;   • To prepare and execute details plan and programme for the furtherance of the objective of the ATMA.   • To process the appointments of such staff (other than those for whom the specific provision has been made  elsewhere) as may be required for the efficient management of the affairs of the ATMA and to regulate the requirement  and conditions of their services.   • Such staff as mentioned at 7 (iii) above would be appointed by Chairman, Governing Board on the recommendation of  project director, ATMA.   • To receive and have a custody of the funds of the ATMA and to manage the properties of the ATMA.   • To execute contracts, collaboration, agreement containing arbitration clauses, indemnity bonds, deeds in respect of  connected with sale /lease licenses, mortgage hypothecation or other deeds of legal character of whatever description,  power of attorney, enforce any other legal rights and incur legal expense, provided that these powers are exercised for  and on behalf of the ATMA.   • Purchase, hire, take on lease, exchange or otherwise acquire a property movable or immovable or sale hire / lease  exchange otherwise transfer or dispose of all or any property, movable or immovable of the ATMA provided that for the  transfer of immovable property, the prior approval of the State Government is obtained in that behalf.   • To accept the management of any endowment trust, fund subscription or donation, provided that it is not attended by  any condition inconsistent or in conflict with the objectives of the ATMA.   • To draw up the annual budget of the ATMA to be submitted for approval of the Governing Board.   • To scrutinize the Annual Report, Balance Sheet and Audited Accounts of the ATMA for consideration / approval of the  Government Board.  •  ATMA GOVERNING BOARD (A.G.B) : As per the constitution of ATMA, a policy making body i.e. AGB has been constituted with Chairmanship of District  Collector and Project Director as Vice Chairman. There are official And non-official members with representation of all related  line departments and NGO.  1. Deputy Commissioner  Chairmen  2. Deputy Development Commissioner (D.D.C)  Vice Chairmen  3. Joint Director / Deputy Director (Agril.) / Dist. Agril. Officer  Member  4. A Representative from ZRS / Krishi Vigyan Kendra  Member  5. One Farmer Representative  Member  6. One Livestock Producer  Member  7. One Horticulture Farmer  Member  8. Representative of Women Farmers Interest Group  Member  9. One SC /ST Farmer representative  Member  10.  A representative of NGO  Member  11. Lead Bank Officer of the District  Member  12.  A Representative of Dist. Industrial Centre  Member  13.  A Representative of Agricultural Marketing Board  Member  14.  Representative of Input Supplying Association        Member  15.  One Fishery / Sericulture representative  Member  16.  Project Director ATMA  Member-sec-Treasurer (Ex-officio)  •  KEY FUNCTION OF ATMA GOVERNING BOARD : The key function of ATMA Governing Board would include the following functions and task:   • Review and approve strategic and annual work plans that are prepared and submitted by the participating unit.  • Receive and review annual reports carried out by the participating units, providing feedback and direction to the  participating units, as needed, about the various research and extension activities being carried out within the district.  • Receive and allocate project funds to carry out priority research extension and related activities within the district.  • Foster the organization and development Farmers Interest Groups (FIGs) and Farmers Organization (FOs) within the  district. • Facilitate the greater involvement of private sector and firms and organization in providing inputs, technical supports,  agro-processing and marketing service to farmers.  • Encourage agriculture lending institution to increase the availability of capital to resource poor and marginal farmers,  especially SC and women farmers.  • Encourage each line department, plus the KVK and ZRS, to establish farmers advisory committee to provide feedback  and input into their respective R-E programmes.  • Enter into contracts and agreements as appropriate to promote and support agricultural   • development activities within the district.  • Identify other source of financial support that would help ensure the financial sustainability of the ATMA and its  participating unit.  • Establish revolving funds / accounts for each participating unit, and encourage each unit to make available technical  services, such as artificial insemination or soil testing, on a cost recovery basis moving towards full cost recovery in a  phased manner.  • Arrange for the periodic audit of ATMAs financial accounts  • Adopt and amend the rules and by-lows for the ATMA.  •  ATMA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (AMC): 1. Project Director of ATMA  Chairmen  2. Dist. Head of Deptt. of Agriculture  Vice Chairmen  3. Dist. Head of Deptt. of Horticulture  Member  4. Dist. Head of Deptt. of Animal Husbandry  Member  5. Dist. Head of Deptt. of Fishery  Member  6. Dist. Sericulture Officer  Member  7. Dist. Co-operative Officer  Member  8. Head Krishi Vigyan Kendra/ZRS  Member  9. Dist. Soil Conservation  Member  10.  Representative of NABARD  Member  11. One representative of NGO, in charge of Farmers organization  Member  12.  Two representatives of farmers organization (one yr rotation basis)  Member  •  KEY FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE : The functions and tasks to be carried out by the ATMA Management Committee would include the following  :  • Carry out periodic Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRSs) to identify the problems and constraints faced by different  socio-economic groups and farmers within the district  • Prepare an integrated, Strategic Research Extension Plan (SREP) for the district that would specify short and medium  term adaptive research as well as technology validation and refinement and extension priorities for the district ; these  priorities should reflect the importance farmers constraints identified during the PRA.  • Prepare annual work plans that would be submitted to the ATMA Governing Board for review, possible modification  and approval.  • Maintain appropriate project accounts for submission to technology dissemination unit (TDU) for audit purpose.  • Coordinate the execution of these annual work plans through participant line departments, ZRS, KVKs, NGOs, FIGs /  FOs and allied institutions, including private sector firms.  • Establish coordinating mechanisms at the block level, such as farmer advisory centres (FACs), that would integrate  extension and technology transfer activities at the block and village levels  • Provide annual performance reports to the Governing Board outlining the various research, extension and related  activities and related activities that were actually carried out, including targets achieved.  • Provide secretariat to Governing Board and initiate action on policy direction, investment decisions and other guidance  received from the board.  •  Aims and Objectives : A.  The aims and objectives for which the ATMA is formed are :  • To identify location specific needs of farming community for farming system based agricultural development;   • To set up priorities for sustainable agricultural development with a Farming Systems Approach;   • To draw plans for production based system activities to be undertaken by farmers/ultimate users;   • To execute plans through line departments, training institutions, NGOs, farmers organizations and allied institutions;   • To coordinate efforts being made by various line departments, NGOs, farmers organizations and allied institutions to  strengthen research extension-farmers linkages in the district and to promote collaboration and coordination between  various State funded technical departments;   • To facilitate the empowerment of farmers/producers through assistance for mobilization, organization into associations,  cooperatives etc. for their increased participation in planning, marketing, technology dissemination and agro-  processing etc.   • To facilitate market interventions for value addition to farm produce;  B.  To attain these objective, the society may :   • Take steps to ensure that problems, constraints and needs to the farming system based agriculture development are  identified and diagnosed periodically.   • Draw up plans for an integrated research-extension linkage approach for farming systems based agriculture  development.   • Ensure that line departments/institutions draw up integrated development plan based upon resources available with  them and incremental/supplementary resources mobilized by the ATMA.   • Forge or develop systematic linkages between national/state/district institutions of excellence in the field of agriculture  and marketing.   • Ensure capacity building of manpower engaged in overall agricultural development and strengthen infrastructural  support for the benefit of the farmer/producer.   • Create suitable mechanism to ensure location specific adaptive, indigenous knowledge based research.   • Ensure adequate linkages and frequent interaction between scientists, extension functionaries and technicians &  farmers, in order to prepare an integrated plan to effectuate their linkage, support each other, better understanding and  appreciation of their problems, means adopted to sort out problems and plans etc., and to develop a mechanism of  feed back;   • Ensure capacity building of the ultimate users- the farmers in terms of physical, financial and skill resources base by  way of adequate financial support channelised through credit institutions, private investments and training for skill  upgradation.   • Facilitate farmers' organization to take lead role on mobilizing support services and resources.   • Facilitate private investments for infrastructure development, private institutions have to take lead in the delivery of  goods and services to ultimate users (farmers).   • Facilitate the processing and marketing activities of the agricultural, livestock, dairy, poultry, silk and allied produce of  the farmers with the help of private sector institutions.   • Receive and expend project funds, maintain revolving accounts, enter into contracts and agreements, receive  donations and provide services & deliver goods to beneficiaries.   • Accept grants of money, securities or property of any kind and undertake and accept the management of any  endowment, trust funds or donations not inconsistent with the objectives of the ATMA, on such terms and conditions as  may be fitted with the objectives of the ATMA and be prescribed by the Government of India from time to time.   • Generate resource in order to bring financial sustainability through charging for selected services rendered to  beneficiaries by ATMA.  • Create administrative, technical, ministerial and other posts in the ATMA and make appointments thereto in  accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Government.  • Make rules and bye-laws for the conduct of the affairs of the ATMA and add to amend vary or rescind them from time  to time. • Do all such other lawful acts and things either alone or in conjunction with other organizations or persons as the ATMA  may consider necessary, incidental or conductive to the attainment of the above objectives.  • To do all such lawful acts and things whether incidental to objectives in force or not as may be requisite in order to  furtherance of the objectives of the ATMA.  • Sell, lease, exchange and otherwise transfer of any portion and the properties of the society  (ATMA).  • Do all other such things as may be considered by the society (ATMA) and may be incidental or conducive to the  attainment of its objectives  •  ROLE OF SAMETI : The State Agricultural Extension Management and Training Institutes (SAMETI) would be strengthened by way of providing  training material and equipments, communication support, programme cost and salaries of selected incremental faculty  members and a few support staff. SAMETI are proposed to be autonomous institute with greater flexibility in structural and  operational aspects.   •  USING NGO's TO ORGANIZE FARMERS : The GB of the ATMA would select utilise project funds to support on e or more NGOs to assist different types of farmers in  becoming organised into different types of FOs within the district. These FOs may include both SHGs and FIGs at the village  level and these village groups would, in turn, be encouraged to evolve into CAs credit societies marketing cooperatives and  other types of FOs at the Block and District levels. Through these different FOs, farmers would be encourage to begin  organizing different types of services for themselves, including input supply, credit and / or technical services and marketing  arrangements activities that would increase productivity and incomes, while decreasing there dependence on government.  FOs are already immerging among, commercial farmers in some parts of India, there fore, the goal would be to form village  level SHGs and FIGs among small and marginal farmers, including women and other disadvantaged group, that would  eventually evolve into FOs that would represent the interest of these more impoverished target groups.   •  DEVELOPING NEW PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS : Finally, ATMA units would be encouraged to enter into different types of partnerships, where the roles and responsibilities of  both sets of institutions and organizations would be clearly defined. For example, ATMA might solicit and receive donated  hybrid seed and other inputs from trials and demonstration. Since these inputs would be donated, the cost of conducting  Web Site Developed & Maintained By ATMA, West Singhbhum, Chaibasa, Ph./Fax : 06582-257901, e-mail : atmachaibasa@yahoo.com